Les Enfants du Soleil
African Dance Theater
African Dance Theater
The Cast of Les Enfants du Soleil
Scroll down to see photos and view cast biographies.
Dancers:
Denica Abdur-Razzaaq
Malang Bayo
Maguette Camara
Rich Faye
Elhadji Gueye
Tamika Harris
Crystal Harrison
Amina Heckstall
Nikki Heckstall
Ngor Jallow
Ismael Kouyate
Babacar M'Baye
Babacar N'Diaye
Pape N'Diaye
Zalika Reid
Ousmane Sall
Mor Talla Samb
Mamady Sano
Rohiatou Siby
Daaimah Taalib-Din
N'tifafa Akoko Tete-Rosenthal
Musicians:
Fode Seydou Bangoura
Ibrahima "Thiokho" Diagne
Alioune "Guido" Faye
Pape Faye
Brigo Gueye
Abdou M'Baye
Ndongo M'Baye
Backa Niang
Babacar Seck
Mangue Sylla
More artists to be announced!
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Pape N'Diaye - Artistic Director, Choreographer & Dancer |
A multi-talented artist from Dakar, Senegal, Pape N’Diaye is a seasoned performer, instructor and choreographer in djembe, kutiro, sabar, modern and African contemporary dance forms. He has been a member of numerous acclaimed Senegalese traditional and contemporary dance companies, including the National Ballet of Senegal, Cinquihme Dimension, Ballet Sinomew, Forêt Sacrée, and Manhattan Dance School. Pape is also a former lead dancer for Jant-Bi, where he choreographed pieces for the award-winning FAGAALA, Jant-Bi’s most recently toured production. In the US, he has choreographed and performed with Kinodance Company, Maimouna Keita School of African Dance, and the Harvard University Pan-African Dance and Music Ensemble, to name a few. In addition to directing Les Enfants du Soleil - African Dance Theater, Pape is the founder of the Ndaje School of African Arts, Inc., which hosts the annual Ndaje Festival of African Music and Dance, the largest African dance and drum celebration in Boston! More on Pape N'Diaye at PapeNdiaye.com!
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A descendant of the West Indies, Dionne Thomas began studying African dance in 1997 under such notable teachers as Nzingha Camara and Malang Bayo while pursuing her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Business at UCLA. Since then, Dionne traveled nationally and internationally to study under acclaimed dance artists such as Marie Basse, Salematou Camara, and Youssouf Koumbassa. A sought-after performer, Dionne is a former member of Ballet Kouman Kele, Silimbo D'Adeane West African Dance Company, Maimouna Keita, Seewe African Dance Company, and Harambee Dance Company. Dionne holds an MBA from Babson College, and a masters in Education from Brooklyn College. In 2006, she co-founded the pan-African arts marketing firm, TAZIA Inc, which promotes the unification of the global pan-African arts industry. More on Dionne Thomas at TAZIAInc.com!
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Malang Bayo is a master dancer, choreographer and former member of the National Ballet of Senegal, Forêt Sacrée, and Great Ballet D'Afrique Noir of Mansour Gueye. His entire career has been devoted to teaching the art of African song and dance, performing at venues such as the Seoul Korea Olympic Games in 1988, and in the blockbuster hit, Poetic Justice in 1993. He founded his own company, Mussukeba Sane West African Ballet in 1992. Named after his mother, the company conducts annual tours to Dakar and his hometown of Casamance, and will host its first annual African dance conference in New York City this summer. Aside from his work with Les Enfants du Soleil, Malang also teaches and performs for a variety of colleges, universities, camps, and dance and drum conferences across the country. More on Malang Bayo at MalangBayo.com!
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Denica Abdur-Razzaaq - Dancer
Born and raised in Harlem with family roots in Bermuda, Denica started out as a hip-hop dancer performing at such arenas as the Apollo Theater. She began studying African Dance seventeen years ago under Karen Thornton. She also credits her African dance training to Nafisa Sharriff, Mouminatou Camara and various instructors from the US and abroad. Denica has taught African dance throughout NYC, including at the Harlem Children’s Zone, Stanley Issac Center, Countee Cullen’s Beacon Programs, and the Harlem YMCA. She also taught in St. Croix for the Zawadi School of African Dance. She currently teaches at the Vanderbilt YMCA, serves as a choreographer for special events, and is a board member for Entering the Holy of the Holies. She also tours and performs with Forces of Nature Dance Theater, Seewe African Dance Company, Asabi N’goma Dance Theatre, and most recently, Les Enfants du Soleil.
Crystal Harrison - Dancer
Crystal Harrison is a powerful dancer who began her professional dance career more than 20 years ago at the LaRocque Bey School of Dance Theatre. In addition to being trained under the legendary LaRocque Bey, she studied African dance at various schools such as the Djoniba Dance and Drum Center, and Dance Centre of Harlem. She also credits her African dance training to renowned artists such as Wilhelmina Taylor, Babatunde Olatunji, Nafisa Sharriff, and Imani Khan. Crystal is currently the choreographer and artistic director for the A’sabi N’goma Dance Theatre, and she teaches weekly African dance classes in Harlem, NY.
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Trained in interpretive, ballet, modern, jazz, tap, Afro-Cuban, and African dance & drum, Amina Heckstall has been dancing since age 3. She has trained at numerous dance institutions including the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center, Devore Dance Center, Fareta School of Dance & Drum, and LaGuardia H.S. for Music & Arts, and she has traveled internationally to study West African dance and culture. Amina has performed with acclaimed companies, including Tri Shades Of Gold Pan African Dance Co., Cinke Folkloric Dance Theatre, Boussou Dance & Drum Co., Tokounou All-Abilities Guinea Dance Company, G'Bassikolo Dancers & Drummers, Badenya, Yakar Roots, and Les Merveilles De Guinee. Recently, she was selected to be a part of an elite group of African artists to perform in DANZAFRICA Puerto Rico 2009. Amina is currently the director of Ballet Int'l Africans, a non-profit organization that she founded in 1994, and she strives to become an internationally known choreographer of African and contemporary works. More on Amina Heckstall at balletintlafricans.com!
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A descendant of Mali, Rohiatou Siby began developing a love for West African dance as a child in Washington, D.C. while studying with Kadiatou Conte, Mohammed Camara and Assane Konte. After moving to Phoenix AZ, she began studying classical ballet through Arizona School for the Arts and West African dance with Lendo Abdur Rahman. She later received her BFA in Dance Arts from Howard University where she trained in various modern, continental and diasporic African dance techniques. Since living in New York City she has had the privilege of traveling to Guinea with Moustapha Bangoura and performing the works of renowned choreographers such as Andrea Woods, Francine Ott, Camille A. Brown, Shani Collins, Sandella Malloy, Mouminatou Camara, and Prisca Ouya. Most recently she began working with Pape N'Diaye in Les Enfants du Soleil African Dance Theater.
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With family roots in Bermuda, Daaimah Taalib-Din was born and raised in Harlem. She began studying the art of African Dance eighteen years ago under Karen Thornton. She later went on to study under Nafisa Sharrif, Mouminatou Camara, and various other instructors in New York City. For eight years she taught inner-city youth at Schomburg Plaza in Harlem and at the Jackie Robinson School in Brooklyn. Daaimah currently teaches African Dance at the Future Leaders Institute’s Charter School and All Saints Catholic School in Harlem. Since 2002, she has been performing with the touring dance company, Forces of Nature Dance Theater. She also currently serves as the rehearsal director for Seewe African Dance Company under the direction of Mouminatou Camara, and is a member of Crystal Harrison's Asabi N’Goma Dance Theatre.
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Born in Togo, West Africa, and transplanted to the United States, N’tifafa Akoko Tete-Rosenthal began her formal dance training in Flint, Michigan through a youth inner-city ballet company. She continued her training with the Young People’s Ballet Theater, and also at the Flint School of Performing Arts, leading to an opportunity to tour across Europe twice with the Blue Lake Fine Arts Dance Ensemble. N'tifafa Akoko attended Grand Valley State University in Michigan where she majored in Dance and Pre-Physical Therapy, receiving her BA in 2006. An independent study graduate student from the Alvin Ailey School of Dance, she studied with Milton Myers, Ann Marie Forsythe, and Maguette Camara, along with various other instructors. She now performs with the Congolese dance company, Fusha and most recently with Les Enfants du Soleil African Dance Theater in New York City. |
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Maguette Camara is a recognized choreographer, musician and teacher based in New York City. A native of Senegal, Maguette began his dance career with the Ballet Bougarabou Dance Company. His extensive experience with this company allowed him to perform and teach in countries around the world, including Morocco, Canada, and the United States. He has performed in diverse and impressive venues such as the Lincoln Center Outdoor Concert Series, The Rolling Stones World Tour, and The World Trade Center Jazz Festival. As a faculty member at The Ailey School, Barnard College, Cathedral High School and Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, Maguette teaches both African dance and drum to all levels and all ages. Maguette is also the artistic director of the group Mane Kadang.
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Rich Baba Faye has a crisp and unique style of dance that is attributed to his deep family roots in Sabar music and dance. He is nguewel, which means he was born into drumming. As a young boy he was a premier dancer and drummer in Ballet Sing Sing Rhythms. In his career, Rich has toured internationally with many world renowned mbalax artists such as Youssou N’Dour, Fallou Dieng, Baaba Maal, Ismael Lo, Doudou N’Diaye Rose and Mbaye Gueye Faye, as well as with other artists such as Peter Gabriel and Wyclef Jean. He also toured Africa with the Senegalese Rap group, Positive Black Soul. Rich currently teaches and performs at festivals and conferences across the US, including Diamano Coura Conference in Oakland, CA, Maimouna Keita African Dance Conference in New York City, Ndaje Festival of African Music and Dance in Boston, MA, KanKouran in Washington, DC, and Florida African Dance Festival in Tallahassee, FL. More on Rich Faye at RichFaye.com!
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Elhadji Gueye - Dancer |
Elhadji Gueye comes from Senegal, West Africa and has been drumming and dancing professionally since his childhood. He is a member of the famous family of griots called Sing Sing Rhythms. Griots are the musicians, dancers, singers, storytellers and oral historians of West Africa. They are world renowned for their expertise in drumming, drum making and keeping ancient West African traditions alive. Elhadji danced for many years with Youssou N'Dour. He has also performed with Baaba Maal, Ismaila Loure and many other international artists. Elhadji has taught intensive dance workshops in Dakar, New York, Richmond, San Francisco and Amsterdam. He was also part of the Senegalese dance company, Sunugal Ballet. Currently, Elhadji teaches sabar dance in New York City.
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Born in Conakry, Guinea into a family of griots and musicians, Ismael Kouyaté is an extraordinary dancer, choreographer, and singer. He grew up in the Malinke village of Farranah, Guinea, and toured the country as the lead singer of a prominent youth ensemble. At age fifteen, Ismael moved to Conakry and joined Ballet Communale de Matam, one of the most acclaimed private companies in the city. In 2000, Ismael was recruited by the national ensemble Les Percussions de Guinea, where he spent three years as the group’s lead dancer and griot. Ismael later joined the national company, Les Ballets Africains. He currently lives in New York and teaches regular djembe dance classes in Manhattan and Brooklyn. He is also the lead singer of the music band, Mandingo Ambassadors, and he recently joined the cast of the Broadway musical, Fela! More on Ismael Kouyate at IsmaelKouyate.com!
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Ngor Jallow - Dancer |
Born in Senegal, Ngor Jallow began his dance career in Dakar performing in popular nightclubs such as Jousan and Sihul. He then danced with Ballet African Dance Noir for five years. He has starred in music videos and in 1992, he performed at the Miss Europe contest and for Nelson Mandela. Since Ngor's arrival in New York in 2002, he has performed at the Lincoln Center with Yakar Roots and Rhythms, the World Trade Center, with ZEYBRAH, and at BAM with Restoration Plaza. He has also taught numerous workshops with Yakar Roots and ZEYBRAH at various festivals and other venues such as the Moment In Time Festival at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black History and Culture, and the Countee Culleen Library in Manhattan,and at the Juvenile Justice Commission’s annual youth summit. Ngor currently teaches African dance at The Loft in Yonkers, NY.
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Born into a Wolof griot family, Babacar M’Baye is admired in his homeland as one of Dakar’s most exciting dancers. His professional career began on tour with Ballet Sing Sing Rhythms He upholds the tradition of Sabar dance by drawing power from the traditions of his people, while contributing his innovative spirit and style toward its continuation. Babacar has toured throughout the United States with Senegalese companies Ballet Sinomew and Ballet Bougarabou. He has become a staple in New York City as one of the most sought-after instructors of Sabar dance. He is also the renowned choreographer for the New York-based group, Sing Sing Rhythms. In addition to teaching and choreographing in NYC, Babacar travels throughout the US and abroad teaching at workshops in Atlanta, Massachusetts, California, DC, Puerto Rico and Japan. More on Babacar M'Baye at BabacarMbaye.com!
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Babacar N’Diaye, “the blue-eyed African,” comes to us from Dakar, Senegal, where he was a principal dancer for the National Ballet of Senegal and Diamono African Ballet. For more than fifteen years, he has dazzled presidents, dignitaries and audiences all over the world with his high energy and superb dancing style. He is a multi-talented artist and choreographer who travels nationally and internationally, providing brilliant instruction in African dance, music and song. For the past eight years, he has served as founder and Artistic Director of Return to Goree African Dance Company in Baltimore, MD. In addition to teaching regular classes in Baltimore, Babacar travels extensively throughout the US teaching and performing at various workshops and venues.
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Senegalese born Ousmane Sall is one of the gems hailing from the National Ballet of Senegal. After traveling internationally with the company, he traveled to the US, where he became the founder and artistic director of Yakar Roots and Rhythms Dance Company. Known for his high-energy movements, he quickly became one of New York's favorite dance instructors. Ousmane literally flies when he dances. He specializes in teaching souruba, kutiro, sabar, and djembe styles of dance. Recently featured at the Aloha-Africa Cultural Exchange in Kauai, Hawaii, and at the Ndaje Festival of African Music and Dance, in Boston, Massachusetts, Ousmane teaches and performs extensively throughout the US and abroad at festivals, workshops and conferences. He is currently preparing for his annual cultural tour to Dakar, Senegal in February 2010.
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Mamady Sano is a dynamic performing artist from the country of Guinea, West Africa. Born into an artistic family, he is the son of the world renowned choreographer of Les Ballets Africains, the late Mohamed Kemoko Sano. Mamady’s natural talent as a dancer was recognized early on. As a young boy, he often performed with his brothers and friends, and quickly became known as the top dancer in his region. He began performing with Les Merveilles D'Afrique African Dance Troupe, a highly acclaimed, internationally recognized performance ensemble under the Artistic Direction of his father. He spent several years traveling throughout the world with Merveilles D’Afrique. In 1998, Mamady was invited to come to the United States to teach and perform. A resident of the USA for the past ten years, Mamady teaches workshops, clinics, and master classes, as well as performs as a guest artist, throughout the country. He also currently lives and teaches in New York City.
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Born in the village of Samou in Southeastern Guinea, Fode Bangoura has been recognized internationally for his work as the lead drummer with the acclaimed ensemble Les Ballets Merveilles de Guinée. A protégé of the late, great Mohamed Kemoko Sano, Fode is now one of the most respected and sought after drummers of his generation. He has toured the world, has dozens of recording credits, and has appeared on national television, including a featured spot on MTV. He has performed at Walt Disney World and at the Lincoln Center Festival. He currently resides in New York, where he teaches djembe, performs with a variety of ensembles, and accompanies some of New York’s finest dance instructors. In 2007, Fode was asked to join the US tour of Les Ballets Africains, the National Dance Company of Guinea. He was also the featured artist in Imanga Bette Doho, a three-day drum and dance conference in Milan, Italy. Fode currently resides in New York City, and he teaches and performs at festivals and conferences across the country.
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Ndongo M'Baye was born in Senegal into a griot family. He studied the Tama, also known as the 'talking drum', under his father, and simultaneously studied traditional sabar dance under his mother. In 1981, Ndongo toured with the group Etoile 2000 for five years as the lead dancer and choreographer. Ndongo later joined the Damaiwanee Dance Company, and in 1988, he joined world-renowned artist, Baaba Maal, and his ensemble, Daande Lenol, as a dancer and percussionist. During his tenure with Baaba Maal, Ndongo traveled throughout the world to such countries as Japan, France, Spain, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, the Caribbean, England, and the US. After fifteen years of memorable performances with Baaba Maal, Ndongo ventured out as a solo artist. Since then has collaborated with various artists including Debbie Allen, Nas, Carlos Santana, and Herby Hancock. He also continues to work with numerous traditional African dance and music ensembles across the US.
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Backa Niang was born a griot in Pikine Guinaw Rail, Senegal. Like his family members before him, he started drumming and singing at a very early age. Backa became a member of the African hip-hop music band, Gokh-Bi System after the band discovered his many musical talents. Since joining the band, Backa has recorded and performed around the world, sharing the stage with such musical luminaries as Michael Franti, Damian Marley,
and The Last Poets. His work with Gokh-Bi System is on rotation on major television networks including VH1 Soul and BET J. In addition to his work in the music industry, Backa continues to celebrate his rich heritage by teaching and performing the traditional rhythms of the djembe, sabar, kutiro, and talking drums. |
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Born in Conakry, Guinea, Mangue Sylla started playing music at the age of 7. Sangban being his first and favorite instrument, he learned from some of the best teachers and performers including Lamine Bayo, Kanda, Lancey and Numudi. He soon became a professional musician and began working at Jean Paul 2 School as a sangban player. In 1993, he joined Les Merveilles de Guinea, which gave him the opportunity to travel throughout Africa, studying under the leadership of the late Mohamed Kemoko Sano. In 1998, he moved to the US with the same ballet. Since then he has been working with numerous dance companies including Bamdulaye and Sankofa Kuumba, a summer program for children. Now Mangue Sylla lives in New York City, and is still an active member of Les Merveilles de Guinea. He also teaches sangban, dundun, and djembe drum classes in New York and at workshops and conferences across the US.
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More biographies coming soon!
