Culture Cypher

Deeper Than Dance (with Assane Konte)

Heritage Works — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 06:00:00 -0400

Assane Konte, a national of Senegal, West Africa, is one of the original founders of KanKouran West African Dance Company. He also serves as the company’s Artistic Director, choreographer, and costume designer.Mr. Konte left Africa with the dream of establishing his own dance company in Washington, D.C., the nation’s capitol. Although Mr. Konte choreographs primarily for his own company, his ingenious creativity and spirit is always in demand at home and abroad. Consequently, he conducts annual programs in Poland, Hawaii, Japan, and St. Croix. Mr. Konte has held faculty positions in the dance departments of several prestigious universities in the Washington, D.C. area including Georgetown, George Washington, American and George Mason Universities. He presently serves on the faculty at Howard University.

More information on Assane Konte
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders:

Multi-disciplinarian (with Holly Bass)

Heritage Works — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 06:00:00 -0400

Holly Bass is a multidisciplinary performance and visual artist, writer, and director. Her visual artwork spans photography, installation, video, and performance and can be found in the collections of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the DC Art Bank, as well as private collections. As a teaching artist, she offers workshops nationally and internationally and runs a program for adjudicated youth in DC. Her work explores the unspoken and invisible social codes surrounding gender, class, and race.

More information on Holly Bass
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders:

Climbing the Ranks (with Stephanie Hughley)

Heritage Works — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 06:00:00 -0400

Stephanie Smith Hughley is executive producer and co-founder of the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. She danced with the Dance Theatre of Boston and the National Center of Afro American Artists. Hughley auditioned for a part in the Broadway production of Bubbling Brown Sugar, studied dance at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance and the Little Red School House and apprenticed under the directorship of Ashton Springer. She became General Manager of the Negro Ensemble Company in 1982. Hughley managed and supervised the production of over twelve Broadway shows including, Your Arms Are Too Short To Box With God, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Bubbling Brown Sugar and toured the United States and Europe as the Company Manager of For Colored Girls.

More information on Stephanie Hughley
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders:

Museum Matriarch (with Juanita Moore)

Heritage Works — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 06:00:00 -0400

Juanita Moore is a professional with over 30 years of museum experience. She has served as a curator, educator, administrator and museum planner. Juanita Moore is the former President & CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Being the oldest child in a big family helped her develop leadership and management skills that she still uses to this day in her roles of running museums across the country.

More information on Juanita Moore
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders:

The Big Red Wall (with Erika “Big Red” Stowall)

Heritage Works — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 17:00:00 -0400

Erika “Big Red” Stowall is an aspiring dance artist and teacher residing in Detroit, MI. Native to Detroit, MI; Red started dancing at the age of 4 in the styles of African and Caribbean. She continued her training in jazz and tap at the age of 8 and started ballet and modern /contemporary at the age of 10. Her passion for dance grew throughout her teens and she was given many opportunities to enhance her technical ability. She attended Martin Luther King High School and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After her studies, Red stepped back from performing and started teaching at a charter school in Detroit, MI. Now, after two years of being an educator, Red has returned to performing and choreographing many works around the Detroit area.

More information on Erika Stowall
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders:

Art Adjacent (with Reggie Van Lee)

Heritage Works — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 06:00:00 -0400

Reginald (Reggie) Van Lee is a philanthropist, an arts advocate, and retired Executive Vice President of the global management and technology consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. He was appointed by President Obama to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and was formerly appointed by President Obama to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. He is the co-author of the book, “Mega communities – How Leaders of Government, Business, and Non-Profits Can Tackle Today’s Global Challenges Together.”

More information on Reggie Van Lee
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders:

Story Time! (with Satori Shakoor)

Heritage Works — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 10:40:00 -0400

Satori Shakoor is an artist, storyteller and a social entrepreneur. She is a 2017 Kresge Literary Arts Fellow. She hosts the Moth Story Slam in Ann Arbor and hosts the Twisted Storytellers podcast produced by WDET Radio with a second season scheduled for October 2017. Ms. Shakoor is the founder of The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers® (TSSOTS) , a live, curated storytelling event. The monthly series features real people who tell true and personal stories live onstage at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Ms. Shakoor designs and facilitates storytelling workshops in the art and craft of storytelling in the community for organizations, corporations and privately as a coach.

More information on Satori Shakoor
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders:

Art Education and Inspiration (with Keith Wiliiams)

Heritage Works — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 06:00:00 -0400

Keith Williams has educated St. Louis’ young dance talent for years after being taught himself by Katherine Dunham. He knows what it takes for a aspiring dancer to be successful and uses that knowledge to get the best out of every one of his students.

More information on Keith Williams
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders:

Dance Is Life (with Idy Ciss)

Heritage Works — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 06:00:00 -0400

Idy Ciss is a master African Dancer and performer for Dakar, Senegal off of the west coast of Africa. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois as a teacher of the artform. He credits the love and support of his family and neighbors as the catalyst which led him to the field of professional dance. Idy is also a teacher and singer of traditional African songs. His professional debut was with Les Ballets Africans Kolaam Serere. He is also a former member of Ballets Africans. He has performed before presidents of several African countries and appeared on national television in Senegal.

More information on Idy Ciss
Heritage Works website

Music:
Yoruba Adventure - Westar Music
Original Music Performed by Idy Ciss and Assane M'baye

We would like to thank our funders: