Yakar Roots, Rhythms and Dance Company
an affiliate of: ZEYBRAH, a non profit organization founded in 1984
Artistic Director: Adama Seydi
Choreographer: Ousmane Sall
Musical Director: Alioune "Guido" Faye
This dynamic and energetic dance troupe that hails from West Africa is composed of professional artists who specialize in music, dance and drumming. Their repertoire draws on the rich cultural traditions of West Africa, which each of their families have passed on throughout many generations. It is their vision to share these vast and beautiful art forms with the world, through their teaching, performing and touring.
Yakar Roots and Rhythms has developed a series of programs depicting many of the rhythms and dances of West Africa, particularly of Senegal. The instruments used includes various types of drums: djembe, sabar, tama, kutiro, and other instruments: balafun (an ancient piano), kora (an ancient guitar), etc. The mask dances include: kumpo and chakaba
The three "directors" of Yakar Roots and Rhythms, each top in their fields, have a truly outstanding history of accomplishments. Together, they have performed throughout the United States and Europe at concerts, festivals, conferences, and museums. In the New York area they have appeared in such prestigious venues as: Lincoln Center, The United Nations, Carnegie Hall, The World Trade Center Plaza, Town Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Summerstage at Central Park. They were recently featured in ZEYBRAH’s Moment In Time Event, 2003!
The Bousso Dance Company
The Bousso Dance Company is dedicated to the preservation, teaching and performance of West African drumming and dance. The focus is on the cultures of Senegal, Guinea, Mali, and The Gambia. This rich heritage specializes on the folkloric traditions of the Wolof, Bambara, Jola, Mandinke, and Serer ethnic groups.
The artistic director Lamine Thiam, a native of Dakar, Senegal is an accomplished West African dancer, choreographer, and instructor. He studied advanced West African dance at the Conservatoire National du Sénégal, and is proficient in many dance styles, including Djembe, Soruba, Sabar, and Bougarabou. Since his arrival in New York in 1993, he has trained hundreds of students at dance centers around the New York area. He himself has performed with many great companies in West Africa and in the United States. He himself has performed in such venues as: Avery Fishery Hall, Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, The United Nations, BMCC, and many more schools, cultural centers and festivals. His film and TV appearances include: Sesame Street and Spielberg’s film: Amistad. He has performed internationally in Europe, Asia and Africa.
The Bousso Dance Company reflects the vision of Lamine to create a vibrant vehicle for the expression and dissemination of African traditional folklore. Raised amidst a wealth of music and dance, Lamine brings the pure essence of good human values to his art. Lamine’s vision is to enhance and educate audiences of all cultures through exposure to traditional African dance forms.
The Bousso Dance Company is available for performances, lecture demonstrations, dance and drum workshops for children and adults at all levels, consultation, choreography, and arts training.
Senuba Melody - (a.k.a. Grupo Iwa Dada)
Senuba Melody is a unique group featuring storytelling with music, dance, and audience participation. The stories are derived from folktales famous people, and situations that promote a positive ethical stance for youth, dealing with the modern problems of society.
Basha Alade: Storyteller, drummer
Lamine Thiam: Choreographer, master dancer
Ousmane Sall: Actor, dancer, musician
SENUBA MELODY represents a group of artists who perform storytelling, music and dance, weaving cultural traditions from both Senegal and Cuba, hence the name—SEN-UBA! SENUBA MELODY has performed for schools, festivals and community events. They specialize in stories derived from African and Caribbean, but also perform selected folktales from around the world and any area that is requested. Some of the stories in the repertoire include: The Miracle of the Princess and the Frog, The Calabash of Rhythms, The First Little Band, Peace Bird to the Rescue, The Brothers (3 variations from 3 traditions) Chief Wakiash, The Legend of Troutman’s Creek, and The Blindman and The Hunter.
The chief storyteller is Basha Alade, who has been writing plays, producing films and videos, teaching and performing storytelling that combines music and dance, for over 25 years. Basha has adapted a collection of traditional folktales from Africa and other parts of the world.
They have performed at The World Trade Center, The PNC Bank African American Heritage Festival, The Monmouth County Park African Heritage Festival, The Oceans of Rhythm Festival and various other venues.
Tambou Yambu Arkestra
Tambou Yambu Arkestra: is a dynamic group of musicians and dancers whose explosive sounds and dynamic movements stimulate mind, body and soul! The music is a mixture of jazz, world beat, with a strong folkloric African and Caribbean percussion framework. The many original (and some classics) world beat songs exude meaningful messages with universal themes. The director and lead guitar player of the group is Mike Elias, backed with a strong and dedicated crew of musicians, including Chris Mooney, Eder Charles and Basha Alade. They have played in such venues as New York ‘s Cutting Room, Long Branch’s All Nations Festival, and ZEYBRAH’s A Moment In Time Festival in New York and Oceans of Rhythm Festival in New Jersey.
