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FESTIVAL DANCERS

Diamano Coura West African Dance Company

Dance Origin: West Africa
GenreS: Senegalese, Malian, Contemporary, Liberian
Director: Dr. Zakarya Sao Diouf
Artistic DirectorS: Naomi Diouf and Nimely Napla
First Appearance in SF EDF: 1994
Website: www.diamanocoura.org

Diamano Coura is a non-profit community arts organization, located at the Malonga Center, dedicated to the preservation, education, and appreciation of traditional West African music, dance, theater, and culture. Founded in 1975 and incorporated in 1999, it is under the EMMY® Award winning Director Dr. Zak Diouf and Artistic Director, Naomi Diouf.

2009 PERFORMANCE

2012 PERFORMANCE

Dance Origin: Liberia
Genre: Lorma & Gio, Inititiation & Masked Dances
2012 title: The Breaking of the Sande Bush
2012 CHOREOGRAPHY & COSTUMES:
Nimely Napla
2012 MUSICAL DIRECTORS: Madiou Diouf and Nimely Napla
2012 DANCERS: LaTasha Bell, Marcus Cathey, Tamika Davis, Ibrahima Diouf, Kine Diouf, Naomi Diouf, Jamila Fuller, Diony Gamoso, Tamika Harris, Zion Harris, Patrice Henderson, LaDonna Higgins, Antoinette Holland, Dedeh Jaimah, Bis-Millah Loving, Christopher Scott, Johnathan Secrease
2012 DRUMMERS: Dr. Zakarya Diouf (sangba), Madiou Diouf (sangba/kingi), Mohammad Kouyate (sangba), Darian LaFoucade (gbe-gbe-ge), Nimely Napla (kingi), Richmond Wiggins (sangba/Kingi), Stephanie Wilson (saa saa).

2009 Title: Zaazi
2009 Costumes/Staging: Nimely Napla
2009 Dancers: LaTashia Bell, Tamika Davis, Stefon Dent, Esailama Diouf, Ibrahima Diouf, Kine Diouf, Naomi Diouf, Fikpee Flomo, Diony Gamoso, Paul Griffith, Ebony Henderson, Patrice Henderson, LaDonna Higgins, Antoinette Holland, Dedeh Jaimah, Kelly Kouyate, Sekou N’Diaye, Nimely Naplah, Djien Tie, N’Deye Penda Toure, Stephanie Wilson
2009 Musicians: Madiou Diouf, Dr. Zakariya Diouf, Bli Bi Gore, Josh Jacob, Mohammed Kouyate, Darian LaFoucade, M’Bay Louvouezo, Gbassay Zinneh

The Breaking of the Sande Bush is a rite-of-passage dance of the Lorma ethnic group. It comes from one of Liberia's more remote regions—Lofa County, in the northeast mountains. The Lorma have two secret societies which initiate and care for their members—poro for males, and sande for female. Young Lorma girls are taken from their families to a Sande Society or Zardaygai—a center of learning—in the bush. There, they are guided by zoe, spiritual leaders of the female society. Maintaining total secrecy from men, they learn how to cook, dance, and sing; study biology; and learn how to conduct themselves as women. This zaazi dance, as it is called in Liberia, celebrates the girls return to their parents and their initiation into adulthood. Under the eye of the zoe, the girls display their skills.

The ceremony celebrates differences— between women and men, forest and village, and invisible spirits and visible maskers. Dancers in full-body masks embody the spirit of the African bush and of the community. The ZaaZi (the first mask to enter the stage) is the girls' guide and protector; it announces their readiness to leave and dances to celebrate their achievements.

The young women wear thread skirts woven on a hand-held loom. Beads around their waists represent protection and show their status. Dangling threads hide the girls' faces, as no one except family should see them. The white chalk signifies purity.

Diamano Coura's percussionists evoke Lorma's traditional sounds: a cow horn announces the masked dancers; an uncut gourd laced with seeds—the sa-sa or kpokui—imitates various forest birds. The kingi log-drum communicates directly with the dancers and the "masks": it provides signals for movement and its beats emphasize specific gestures. It is understood that the kingi drum speaks a language, and the initiates must learn the Kingi language before graduating from bush school. Musicians also play the badige or sagban drum and the gbe-gbe-ge bass drum.

The origin of The Breaking of the Sande Bush is unknown, as the secret Sande Society has no written history. Artistic Director Naomi Diouf studied the dance with Nimely Napla of the National Cultural Troupe in Liberia and in Oakland, CA. The company, in apprenticeship, researched and trained intensively in movement and song. It was performed in 2006 at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts in Oakland.

2007 PERFORMANCE

TITLE: JUSAT
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/ CHOREOGRAPHER: Naomi Diouf
DIRECTOR: Dr. Zakarya Diouf
SPECIAL GUEST: Jacqueline Burgess-Hall as the Goddess
DANCERS: Andrezia Andrade, LaTashia Bell, Antoinette Chase, Tamika Davis, Stefan Dent, Esailama Diouf, Ibrahima Diouf, Kine Diouf, Naomi Diouf, Ebony Henderson, LaDonna Higgins, Shaquila Ingram, DehDeh Jaimah, Shanita Jones, Darian Lafoucade, Johnathan Secrease, N'Deye Penda Toure, Tamisha Williams, Stephanie Wilson, Jah-Yee Woo, Alicia Zakon
Musicians: Olafemi Akintunde, Madiou Diouf, Dr. Zakarya Diouf, Mbor Faye, Samba Guisse (tama/talking drum), Josh Jacobs, Mohammed Kouyate, Darian Lafoucade

This original work by one of the Bay Area’s foremost West African dance companies, explores a personal journey and its universal expression in ritual. It blends traditional West African dance with contemporary American influences and features both traditional and pop music from Senegal and Mali. This dynamic suite has four scenes, beginning with, JUSAT, which represents the cyclical stages of life’s trajectory. The piece uses traditional West African dance and music as its focal point, which is enhanced by contemporary moves and music.

The next scene, The Birth, is based on an old myth. Mawa, in a thunderous conversation with his demi-gods, sends his strongest, most beautiful, goddesses down to earth to give birth to the children and nations of Africa. The demi-gods bequeath her the power needed to accomplish this; a piercing scream is heard as she brings forth the children. The third section, called The Initiation, speaks to the joy and pride experienced by a mother and father when their children have grown up and returned from the secret society as respectable young men or women. Their esteem is both for their children’s coming of age and also for the veneration of the family’s ancestral divinities and connection to nature.

In the closing scene, The Harvest depicts the time in a parent’s life to give back to the young people for being so courageous. The community harvests its best crops in preparation of a grand celebration lasting several days with enough crops harvested and animals killed and prepared for the feast to satisfy everyone’s appetite.

This new work was made possible in part by funding from the San Francisco Foundation.

2006 PERFORMANCE

TITLE OF PIECE: Kakilambe
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/
CHOREOGRAPHER: Naomi Diouf
DANCERS: Brian Alexander, LaTasha Bell, Tamika Davis, Esailama Diouf, Ibrahima Diouf, Kine Diouf, Jamila Fuller, Jessica Harden, Ladonna Higgins, Liz Lafoucade, Alisha Norwood, Yeni Rivera, Christopher Scott, Johnathan Secrease, Deniena Sherman, Tamisha Williams, Jay-Yee Woo
DRUMMERS: Djembe: Olafemi Akitunde, Dr. Zakarya Diouf, Madiou Diouf, Moshe Milon, Dundun:Josh Jacob, Darian Lafoucade

In Diamano Coura’s historical re-creation, the Kakilambe and his counterpart, fertility goddess Nimba – Mother of the Earth, are called upon for assistance to restore balance to a village. The dance depicts a young woman becoming possessed by an overpowering entity. Her lifeless body is revived through dancing, cleansing and offerings to the Kakilambe spirit. When his spirit is appeased, the Nimba mask, depicted as a huge towering bird with large breasts, is summoned to make the women and land fertile. A grand celebration concludes the ceremony.