Jean-Claude Lessou-Dancer
Jean-Claude (“JC”) was born and raised in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He began dancing professionally at age 15, and performed with the Dante Theater Company for five years before touring the U.S. as principal dancer with Ballet Jolem.
He regularly performs and teaches at dance camps and festivals throughout the U.S. He produced a special event for children at the Kennedy Center, performing masked dances from his own village. During the past 10 years, he taught at Lisangua Ya Bato Dance and Drum Camp in Woodstock, New York and worked with students and faculty at Goddard College, Saint Michael’s College, Middlebury College and Norwich University in Vermont.
For the past three years, he has choreographed and taught classes at “Africa in the Ozarks”, a West African dance camp in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. He was also the lead choreographer for the Lannaya West African Drum and Dance Ensemble in Austin. Today he works regularly with high schools and dance studios around Austin to choreograph professional and student performances.
He regularly performs and teaches at dance camps and festivals throughout the U.S. He produced a special event for children at the Kennedy Center, performing masked dances from his own village. During the past 10 years, he taught at Lisangua Ya Bato Dance and Drum Camp in Woodstock, New York and worked with students and faculty at Goddard College, Saint Michael’s College, Middlebury College and Norwich University in Vermont.
For the past three years, he has choreographed and taught classes at “Africa in the Ozarks”, a West African dance camp in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. He was also the lead choreographer for the Lannaya West African Drum and Dance Ensemble in Austin. Today he works regularly with high schools and dance studios around Austin to choreograph professional and student performances.
Abou Sylla
Abou Sylla comes from a musical family: his father played balafon and his mother and sister were both singers. When Abou was five, his uncle gave him a djembe and he started playing immediately. When he was eight, he began playing the balafon and went to live with his balafon teacher in a nearby village. He lived with his teacher until his was 19 years old.
At the age of nineteen, Abou left his home of Bramaya and moved with his family to Conakry, the capital of Guinea, and they continued to perform together. In 2000, his uncle, who played with les Ballets Africans, secured an audition forAbou. Abou auditioned on the djembe, balafon, krin and doundoun. The Ballet signed him on immediately.
In 2004 Abou was selected to perform in Het Waterhuis' 'Landing Gear' in Guinea and Holland. This musical theatrical performance is about two children from Guinea who were discovered dead in the landing gear of an airplane in Belgiumin 1999. Abou lived in Holland for six months during this time.
In 2006 Abou traveled to the U.S. with les Ballet Africans, giving over 50 performances. He moved to Austin shortly thereafter and now serves as Lannaya's Musical Director.
At the age of nineteen, Abou left his home of Bramaya and moved with his family to Conakry, the capital of Guinea, and they continued to perform together. In 2000, his uncle, who played with les Ballets Africans, secured an audition forAbou. Abou auditioned on the djembe, balafon, krin and doundoun. The Ballet signed him on immediately.
In 2004 Abou was selected to perform in Het Waterhuis' 'Landing Gear' in Guinea and Holland. This musical theatrical performance is about two children from Guinea who were discovered dead in the landing gear of an airplane in Belgiumin 1999. Abou lived in Holland for six months during this time.
In 2006 Abou traveled to the U.S. with les Ballet Africans, giving over 50 performances. He moved to Austin shortly thereafter and now serves as Lannaya's Musical Director.
Noah Mosgofian www.noahmosgofian.com
Noah Mosgofian has over 13 years of teaching experience at home and abroad. His teaching credits include Bantu Camp, Camp Mabina, Fareta Camp, residency in
the Edinburgh Int'l Festival's World Music and Dance program 1999, San Francisco
Ballet, Marin Ballet, and over 30 schools in California.
Noah's resumé includes 6 years international touring with STOMP and directing and playing in dozens of dance ensembles and bands playing traditional West African, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Trinidadian, Congolese, and Ghanaian styles as well as salsa, funk, electronica, hip-hop, jazz, and rock.
Noah has performed with O Positivo, Atash, Del Castillo, Lost At Last, Drum Café, and members of The Grateful Dead, Ozomatli, and many others. He has made guest appearances with Michael Franti, Joan Baez, Sekouba "Bambino" Diabate.
Noah's teachers include Mamady Keita, Mabiba Baegne, Fara Tolno,
"Changuito" Quintana, Michael Spiro, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Regino Jimemez, Michael Spiro, C.K. Ladzekpo, and members of Irakere, Los Van Van, and Ilé Ayé.
Here are some unsolicited testimonials from some of Noah’s Austin students:
“That was a great class! I've been searching for some more advanced African drum classes for some time and I know I will really be challenged by this class. Looking forward to next Thursday's class and thanks again for sharing your apparent extensive knowledge of these African rhythms. It's so awesome to have a teacher like you here.”
“Class was rockin', I'm definitely signed on for the long haul!”
“Hi Noah, thank you for such an awesome drum class! You are challenging me. In many ways, I feel like I am learning all over again.”
“Noah: You're doing a great job...You are really challenging us and I thought a few times last night my head was going to explode ... but it was kind of a good feeling.”
“...everyone likes your approach/technique and where you seem to be leading us.”
the Edinburgh Int'l Festival's World Music and Dance program 1999, San Francisco
Ballet, Marin Ballet, and over 30 schools in California.
Noah's resumé includes 6 years international touring with STOMP and directing and playing in dozens of dance ensembles and bands playing traditional West African, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Trinidadian, Congolese, and Ghanaian styles as well as salsa, funk, electronica, hip-hop, jazz, and rock.
Noah has performed with O Positivo, Atash, Del Castillo, Lost At Last, Drum Café, and members of The Grateful Dead, Ozomatli, and many others. He has made guest appearances with Michael Franti, Joan Baez, Sekouba "Bambino" Diabate.
Noah's teachers include Mamady Keita, Mabiba Baegne, Fara Tolno,
"Changuito" Quintana, Michael Spiro, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Regino Jimemez, Michael Spiro, C.K. Ladzekpo, and members of Irakere, Los Van Van, and Ilé Ayé.
Here are some unsolicited testimonials from some of Noah’s Austin students:
“That was a great class! I've been searching for some more advanced African drum classes for some time and I know I will really be challenged by this class. Looking forward to next Thursday's class and thanks again for sharing your apparent extensive knowledge of these African rhythms. It's so awesome to have a teacher like you here.”
“Class was rockin', I'm definitely signed on for the long haul!”
“Hi Noah, thank you for such an awesome drum class! You are challenging me. In many ways, I feel like I am learning all over again.”
“Noah: You're doing a great job...You are really challenging us and I thought a few times last night my head was going to explode ... but it was kind of a good feeling.”
“...everyone likes your approach/technique and where you seem to be leading us.”
Kimberley Caterino-Dancer
Kimberly began studying West African Dance in 1996. She studied in Guinea in 2000 and performed with Jeh Kulu Drum & Dance Theatre from 2001-2008. She currently trains, performs, and teaches with Lannaya West African Drum & Dance Ensemble. Kimberly teaches Sunday classes at Austin Dance Collective
