African Dance!

Join expert dance instructor, Ismaila Diarra, to learn this simple African dance from his childhood roots. Come have some fun with your family during this short lesson and move your body to the traditional rhythms of West Africa!

Ismaila Diarra

Dancer, choreographer, and theater performer, Ismaila was trained in National Ballet of Burkina Faso, West African. He toured and worked all over Africa, Europe and America where he performed in Disney Animal Kingdom with Cirque Zuma Zuma and perfomed in Dollywood Park in Tennessee with Cirque Mother Africa.

Ismaila is also a musician, drums percussionist, singer and instrument-maker!

Born of griot lineage of Kouyate, he is the first griot of the Diarra family. He was taught their musical tradition from childhood by his father. Sent to Burkina Faso for formal schooling, he later learned the construction of all the instruments he plays at Bobo Dioulasso and Ouagadougou Cultural Center as well as performing in local night clubs and events. He is able to play various African drums, balafon and kora. He returned to Cote d’Ivoire at the request of his father to teach African dance and drumming at Caras school in Abidjan, where he taught for five years. In his quest to further his musical expertise and career, he left Cote d’Ivoire and toured in Mali, Guinea, Niger, Senegal and Accra, Ghana, where he produced his first album. Ismaila brings to his music his passion for the traditional sounds of West Africa. His years of training and practice combined with his creativity, exuberance and limitless energy have brought his aspiration to be a master of West African music to fruition. He hopes to share his music and various experiences across the African continent with others from around the world. He also wishes to share his love of the music and culture with others, so that they may enjoy it as well.

Contact Ismaila Diarra about buying one of his hand-crafted kora instruments, and for individual dance or music lessons.