Ismael Bangoura and Youssouf Koumbassa at the Portside Percussive Dance Festival

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Ismael Bangoura and Youssouf Koumbassa are coming back!! If you came to their classes in April, you know they’re not to miss! If you missed them in April, be sure to come this June! (Here’s a taste of what dance class will be like. Youssouf teaching the traditional Guinean dance, Djole in April with Ismael accompanying.)

Portside Percussive Dance Festival

Monday June 27 to Friday July 1

at The Dance Hall, Kittery

7 Walker Street

Kittery, ME

Drum classes with Ismael

5:00 to 6:15 pm

Dance classes with Youssouf

6:15 to 7:30 pm

Both Drum and Dance classes — $35.00 per day or $140.00 for the week
Either Drum or Dance Class — $20.00 per day or $90.00 for the week

For more information or to register now:

percussivedancefest@gmail.com
207.703.2083
www.thedancehallkittery.org
www.percussivedancefestival.com

603.969.5264
fowler.camara@gmail.com

Ismael Bangoura
Ismael Bangoura, born in Guinea West Africa in 1975, has been musical director and lead drummer for Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater since 1997. He has been studying music since age nine, and primarily plays the djembe and krin.

Ismael currently lives in Burlington VT with his wife and fellow Jeh Kulu Drummer Autumn Mayer. He is the father of three beautiful children, Kadija, Gracie and Boca. He arranges the music for Jeh Kulu dance and Drum Theater, provides live music for dance classes, and teaches regular drum classes in New Haven Vermont.

Youssouf Koumbassa

Youssouf Koumbassa is a former artist of Ballet Djoliba, the National Ballet of Guinea. Born and raised in Guinea, West Africa, Youssouf began dancing at the age of six by studying and emulating the members of the National Ballet and the leading dancers of the many local and regional dance companies in Guinea.

In Guinea he studied under Sekouba Camara, Artistic director of Ballet National Djoliba and also with Kemoko Sano, the acclaimed Artistic Director of Les Ballets Africains, developing his talents as a dancer, musician and choreographer.

Since moving to the United States more than twenty five years ago Youssouf has established himself as the pre-eminent teacher of dance from Guinea, and now travels widely throughout the world as a much sought after master teacher at dance conferences, workshops, camps and schools. When at home in New York his classes are attended by a large and loyal following who are appreciative of his mercurial energy and grace.

In his attempts to bring the energy, excitement and history of African dance to a wide audience, Youssouf is meticulous in acknowledging the source of this material and insists on a high level of understanding and respect for the form among his students. He travels to Guinea regularly, taking students on dance trips and returns to the United States with the latest developments in contemporary dance so that his teaching is always a mixture of traditional work and the dances that infuse popular culture.

Please help us to welcome back Youssouf and Ismael once again the the Dance Hall! Sign up for the drum and dance classes at the Portside Percussive Dance Festival now!