In Search of a Better Life

Schedule

Fri Feb 03 2023 at 07:00 pm to Sun Feb 05 2023 at 07:00 pm

Location

London | London, EN

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AiDance presents epic night of traditional West African music with traditional Dance! Advance tickets are strongly recommended.
About this Event

AiDance  West African Dance Congress 2023

3rd February 2023 - 5th February 2023

Programme:

Friday 3rd February -Congress Opening Performance

Saturday 4th February - Workshops

Sunday 5th February - Workshops


Location


RICH MIX CULTURAL FOUNDATION

35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA, England.

Programme details:

Friday 3rd February 7:00pm -10:30pm

In Search of a Better Life - Congress opening performances by AiDance and visiting artists:

7:00pm - 8:00pm

Opening Solo  Dance with Flute & Kora

Leading into main Theatrical Dance performance                                               

8:00pm INTERVAL      Installation                                       

8:15pm       Concert with the drummers                        

8:45pm      Last part of performance


A i D a n c e is proud to present

In Search of a Better Life

Aida Diop - Dancer teacher, choreographer of traditional west African dance rhythms will be leading the project inviting

Women of different ages from different backgrounds living in the UK reveal how & why west African dance tradition is relevant to them and how important in a society that does not relate to.

AiDance will present a theatrical dance performance peace with traditional west African dance forms with traditional storytelling with Kora player Sefo Kanute and narrator Landing Mane.

Inclusive of Baba Gali playing the flute with traditional movement to modern day interpretation.

The weekend will be packed full of vibrant dance, with three different styles of Sabar dance workshops on Saturday and three Djembe rhythms from three traditional & knowledgeable women teachers coming from Guinea Conakry, Cote de Voire & Burkina Faso on Sunday.


PLUS an evening event in East London at Rich Mix featuring: Sefo Kanute, Baba Gali, Landing Mane and more plus guests from the weekend. This is a once in a lifetime weekend, possibly the best line up of teachers the UK has seen, catering for all levels and entertaining you to the max.

Link below AiDance celebrating 10th anniversary back in February 2022!

Tribute to Landing Mane a Performance with students and 2 day workshops with 5 West African dance teachers based in the UK and coming from Mainland Europe.



Saturday 4th February 11:00am - 5:00pm

All Day SABAR

We will have 3 workshops. There will be a 15 minutes break between the workshops. Each workshop will be 1 hour 30 minutes long.

11:00am - Registration

11:15am - 11:45am

** ALEX QUINN **(UK)

PRE PILATES WORKOUT

12:00pm - 1:30pm

** AÏDA DIOP + OUMI MBAYE **(Senegal)

Traditional SABAR dance

1:45pm - 3:15pm

** MOUSSA NDIAYE ** (Senegal)

SABAR dance

3:30pm - 5:00pm

** DIENE SAGNA ** (Senegal)

SABAR dance

Location: TBC


O U M I M B A Y E:


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M O U S S A N D I A Y E:

Moussa was born in 1991 is Senegal West- Africa. Coming from a griot family of musicians, dancers and storytellers, Moussa learned dancing at a very young age. He received professional training by his uncle Bane Ndiaye, Germaine Acogny at Ecole the Sable and Pape Moussa Sonko. In Senegal he danced with international artists such as Baaba Maal, Yousou Ndour and Abdou Guite Seck. Together with his uncle he also directed and choreographed his own ballet Synchro Art. 

Moussa was invited to Belgium in 2013 by theater maker Chokri Ben Chika to perform in De Waarheidscommissie. He moved to Amsterdam were he is based since. 

Still working for Ben Chika, Moussa also organises the annual festival the Sabar Challenge in Amsterdam and gives workshops in different cities such as Hongkong,  Essen, Marseille, Amsterdam and Oslo. He had been performing all over the world with artists such as musicians Yousou Ndour, My Baby, Kenny B, Eva Simons, The Nederlands Blazers ensemble and he did several projects with installation artist Dries Verhoeven. He appeared in videoclips in both Europe and Senegal. For an example click here

Moussa teaches weekly classes djembe, afro and sabar in Amsterdam West, Amsterdam Zuid-Oost (Untold) and Heemskerk (Danstuin)  and at different schools throughout the country. He is also leader of the group SAVA Afrika.

  1. His students know him as an energetic and passionate teacher who really challenges everybody on their one level. He loves bringing people together.

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D I E N E S A G N A:

Dancer, teacher, choreographer and percussionist from Dakar, Senegal. Based in Germany, he works as both a solo artist and with his group Yaye Dance. Diene specialises in Senegalese sabar dance, as well as being highly skilled in many other West African rhythms and dance.

Teaching style and personality:

An exceptionally gifted dancer and teacher, Diene has dedicated his entire career to sharing and promoting West African arts and culture through a wide range of performances, classes, workshops and events in 40 countries.

His teaching style is based around focusing on movement, what each dance is expressing, and rhythm. His deep knowledge, joyful nature, endless energy and positivity form a unique skillset that enables him to work with students of all ages and abilities.

Diene is known for creating fun, friendly and motivating learning environments where everyone feels welcome and supported. He believes in the potential of each and every one of his students and nothing gives him more joy than to see the progression of their individual journeys through West African dance.

Career highlights:

• Trained at the prestigious Centre Culturel Blaise Senghor in Dakar, Senegal.

• Worked with Senegalese ballet groups Forêt Sacrée du Sénégal, Daradji, Davidson Boys, and under the guidance of his eldest brother, Mbaye Ndiaye; choreographer and principal dancer for Le Ballet National du Sénégal.

• Founded dance and drum company ‘Yaye Dib Sabar’ in 2011 after moving to the UK. The company is now renamed as ‘Yaye Dib Dance’.

• Performed at The Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London for the 'Baaba Maal and Friends' show, including Mory Kanté, Angélique Kidjo and Carlou D for the Africa Utopia Festival, as choreographed by Georges Momboye

• Performed at Stade de France in Paris as a dancer for singer Coumba Gawlo Seck

• Performed and delivered workshops at WOMAD in the UK

• Represented Africa for the World Music & Dance GITEX Etisalat at the World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE

• Organises JUMPforJOY!!', an annual West African dance event in London that brings together dance teachers, drummers and students from around the world

• Organises ‘AKSILEN’, an annual dance training holiday in Dakar, Senegal

• Delivered workshops in Sabar dance during summer tours of the USA in 2015, 2016 and 2017

• Delivered a four-week Sabar dance course at Kingston University in November 2016

• Organised and delivered weekly classes in Sabar and Djembe dance in London, with live drumming from Senegalese master drummers

• Has taught and performed by special invitation in 40 countries across four continents (Africa, Europe, North and South America)

• Appeared on Lithuanian television station LRT TV’s ‘Labas Rytas, Lietuva’ programme

• Performed as a Zulu dancer in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (biographical film about the British rock band Queen) – due for release in autumn 2018

• Led dance classes and danced at shows with the VOA project in 2019 in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janero; Brasil

• taught and performed at the Brasil Samba Congress in 2019

• danced at the Mama Afrika festival in Cologne in 2019

• establishment of the YouTube channel 'Yaye Dib TV' in 2019

• taught dance at German schools in 2021

• now teaches weekly at the Tanzhaus NRW, Düsseldorf and at the Brotfabrik, Bon

Other information:

-UK passport holder

-Certificated B1-level in German

Social media links:

Diene Sagna on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dienewaawwaaw.sagna?fref=ts

Diene Sagna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/_UOvSZqQrR/

Yaye Dib Dance on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yayedibdance/

Yaye Dib TV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/YayeDibSabar

Website: www.yayeafrica.com

Diene Sagna Biografie ~ Yaye Dib Dance


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Sunday 4th February 11:00am - 6:00pm

DJEMBE Rhythms Sunday

We will have 3 workshops. There will be a 15 minutes break between the workshops. Each workshop will be 1 hour 30 minutes long.

11:00am - Registration

11:15am - 11:45am

** ALEX QUINN **(UK)

PRE PILATES WORKOUT

 12:00pm - 1:30pm

**AMINATA TOURE ** (Guinea Conakry)

DJEMBE RHYTM

 1:45pm - 3:15

** SELLOU BLAGONE** (Côtes d’Ivoire)

Accompanied by Lead drummer Sidiki Dembele

DJEMBE RHYTM

 3:30pm - 5:00pm

**FANTA DEMBELE**(Burkina Faso)

Accompanied by Moussa Dembele on Balaphone

DJEMBE RHYTM

Location: TBC


A M I N A T A T O U R E:

Born in Conakry in Guinea, Aminata grew up in the Matam district, the artistic center of the capital, where dance and music are an integral part of the life of the inhabitants.

From an early age she was interested in dance, observed the dancers and the various ballets, mainly the “Matam” ballet. It was at the age of 10 that Aminata joined her first ballet, the Suraa kata ballet, after being spotted dancing during a rehearsal. She trained and danced within this ballet and did not leave it until 2008. She worked with various dancers and choreographers, mainly with the dancer-choreographer Soriba Simbo Camara now in the United States and the dancer Fanta Yayo who is pursuing her career singer and dancer in Sweden. Little by little, she made herself known in Conakry and quickly became, under the diminutive of "M'Mi", one of the most popular dancers of her generation.

Outside of work in the ballet, Aminata does not miss an opportunity to dance at traditional festivals. She learns in particular in a self-taught way to dance the sabar, the Senegalese dance in vogue throughout West Africa. At the same time, Aminata also teaches her art.

In April 2007, the famous company Afrika! Africa! begins auditions in Conakry to recruit dancers and musicians. Aminata is one of five dancers to be recruited among hundreds by the famous dancer-choreographer Georges Momboye to represent the colors of Guinea in Europe. She arrived in Germany in January 2008 and started working for the company.

After a year and a half of touring and more than 350 shows across Europe, Aminata is pleased to land in Belgium in June 2009 and pursue her career there as a dancer and dance teacher.


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S E L L O U B L A G O N E:

BLAGONE LOU SELLOU NADEGE

DANCER – TEACHER – CHOREOGRAPHER - SINGER - MUSICIAN

MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL DANCE COUNCIL OF UNESCO (CID)

FOUNDER OF NAWE-SELLOU’ART AND THE “KAHAFLAFÊ”, “AFRICA’VIC”, “ONE STEP TOWARDS THE OTHER” AND “FESTI’VOIRE” FESTIVALS

107 Avenue de Poissy 78260 Acheres

06 95 60 28 50

[email protected]

www.nawesellouart.com

PEDAGOGICAL EXPERIENCES

FROM 2015 to 2021

Professor of African, contemporary, Afro urban dance and fitness of the Djamboola Fitness concept at CAK (Norway), at the NSKI center (Norway) and at the Lycée Français de Skovveien (Norway). Teacher of African, contemporary and Afro-urban dance in Poland and the Basque Country

Dance teacher at the Regional Conservatory of Paris

2015 -2016 -2017

Dance teacher at the Louis PERGAUD school in Montesson (France)

FROM 1997 TO 2014

Assistant choreographer and dancer for Yannick NOAH during his shows. Assistant choreographer and dancer (Cie Georges MOMBOYE, La Calebasse by Merlin NYAKAM, Won Ta Nara by Moustapha BANGOURA, Association Nawé Sellou-Art, Salif KEITA, Simon BETA, TIKEN JAH FAKOLY, MEIWAY...).

2008

Founder of the Nawé Sellou-Art association

(association for the promotion of African dances through shows, courses, training and cultural exchange festivals organized each year in France, Norway and Ivory Coast).

2007

Founder of the company Sellou'Art

Actress in the film "Adam Gamma" by Roger GNOAN MBALA and for the France 2 series "PJ" by Michelle PODROZNICK and Frédéric KRIVINE.

ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES

2021

Release of the single “ZIO”

13th Edition of the "AFRICA'VIC" Festival "KAHAFLA FÊ" Festival in Côte d'Ivoire Collaborator and dancer in the Italian company GROUP E-MOTION for the show "Without color" by the choreographer Francesca DE LA CAVA National tour with the MONTALVO Company - HERVIEU with “Gloria”

Creation and performances of the “Yirinin” tale

2020

Participation in the program “Le Grand Echiquier” on France 2

Artistic director for the presidential visit to Marahoué (Ivory Coast)

Creation of “Gloria” with the company MONTALVO-HERVIEU

Since 2019

Dancer and singer for the MONTALVO-HERVIEU company, a French contemporary dance and digital arts company.

2018

Artistic partner of Côte d'Ivoire Tourism at the International Tourism Professionals Fair (SITA). Artistic performance during Fatoumata DIAWARA's show in Oslo (Norway)

Show and dance workshop with Cie Sellou’Art in Norway

Show and dance workshop with Cie Sellou’Art at the Vic-sur-Cère retirement home (France

2015 -2016 -2017

Dance class in Japan

Artistic performance of Cie Sellou’art during the Ivorian day at the International Trade Fair for Tourism Professionals in Paris (SITA 2016) Dance course and show in South Korea

FROM 1997 TO 2014

Dance courses and shows in Italy Chorister and dancer of the international artist Dobet GNAHORE

Choreographer and dancer for the JAZZ group ODWALLA in Italy,

Promotional spot for the Nike company in France.

TRAINING

1998-2019

Afro-contemporary dance training, Afro Fitness Coach Training

1994

International Dance School “KAVOTCHIA” Abidjan

(traditional and contemporary dances)

1986 – 1999

NATIONAL BALLET of Côte d’Ivoire Company “KAZE CLUB” of MADOU Lou Thérèse Company “KAVOTCHIA” of TIE DJIAN Patrick Company “AIZE CLUB” of Abidjan Company “BLEGUIRA” of MISS DODO


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F A N T A D E M B E L E:


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Where is it happening?

London, United Kingdom

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Tickets

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