GROUP

Nahi Alain – Franck (Ivory Coast; soloist dancer and choreographer)
Souleymane Dembele (Burkina Faso; doundoun, balafon, voice)
Wahi Vié (Ivory Coast; djembe, atumblan)
Yacouba Dembele (Burkina Faso; flute, kora, voice)
Brahima Dembele (Burkina Faso; djembe, kora, balafon, voice)

Ismail Bangoura (Guinea; dancer and voice)
Gérard Diby (Ivory Coast; dancer and voice)
Sandra Brigida (Italy; dancer)
Floriana Iacona (Italy; dancer)
Martina Masini (Italy; dancer)
Niurka Augero Hechavarria (Cuba; dancer)

Angelo Mendolia (sound and light progect)

Nahi Alain-Franck
Nahi Alain- Franck was born in Abidjan in 1968 in a planter family of Guere who had emigrated to the capital. He has been dancing since childhood, during long times spent with his relatives in the village, in north-western Ivory Coast. At the age of fifteen years he started dancing in public demonstrations and participated with success in soloist dance contests organized by the National Cultural Departement. At the age of eighteen he organized his own troupe, that won an important contest, opening his career as a professional dancer. In 1987 he entered the National Ballet of Ivory Coast touring up to 1992, around Africa and all over the world (Europe, South America, Asia). In 1992 he entered the Ballet Marahuet and came to Europe.
In Italy he began to collaborate with music and theatre companies as Il gran Serraglio, in Torino Juvarra Theatre, and the Fuentes in Firenze. In 1994 he worked as a dancer and percussionist in the group Griot Metropolitain, with Claudine Zemassa, Brahima Dembele and Sana Soro. In 1995 he began to perform as an actor with Teatro di Piazza e d'Occasione in various shows ("Le fiabe di Babilonia", "Mamie Ouate") touring up to 1999. In 1998 he went to Taiwan with the dance company Akwaba. In 2000 he founded the company Shionkama, that gathered African and Italian artists. He has now established a centre for his activities in Florencde, where he develops didactic and artistic projects. Here he created, in the summer 2002, the company Giguywassa where he is soloist dancer, choreographer and assistant director.

Souleymane Dembele
Souleymane Dembele was born in Djibasso Kossi, Burkina Faso, in a family of Griots. He learned to play various instruments of Mandingue tradition, as the tama, the balafon, and particularly the doumdoum. He has played for traditional events, marriages, funerals etc. throughout Burkina Faso, Mali and Ivory Coast. In 1995 he was invited with other members of the Famille Dembele, to participate in Florence “Festival dei Popoli”, the most important event of tradional music. In 1996 he returned to Italy playing in other important festivals; he joined the group Griot Metropolitain, and recorded for Amiata Records a cd tohether with three members of the family.
In Italy he takes part in education projects, working in schools to introduce the new generations to african culture. In 2000 he entered the company Shionkama; in 2002, together with Alain Nahi, he founded the company Giguywassa.

Ismail Bangoura
Ismail Bangoura graduated as choreographer and teacher at the school of dance, music and dramatic arts "Les Etoiles de Faréta", in Conakry, Guinea. His teacher was the great dancer and actor Seydouba Camara. In 1992 he founded the group Black Soofa, working with Jean-Pierre Lex and touring to Senegal with a show about the life of african slaves. In 1992-93 he collaborated with the famous teacher, dancer and actor Zoe Coli at the Cultural Centre "Blais Sengor" in Dakar. From 1992 to 2001 he was choreographer and teacher for the Bougarabou Ballet, one of the best known companies in western Africa. In 2001 he moved to Italy, where he worked as dancer and teacher, touring to Switzerland and France. In 2003 he joined the group Giguywassa.

Wahi Beugre Zacharia (Vié)
Wahi Zadi Martial (Vié) was born in the village of Gueyo, in south-western Ivory Coast. He has been learning to dance and play music since childhood since the whole family has participated in traditional art for generations. When he grew up he left the village for Bouaké, where his professional training began with the group Ten Zo. In this group he refined his style, accompaining with percussions the famous dancer Armand Gnetò; he played doumdoum, atoumblan, guinean djembé, to become a soloist performer. Then, Ten Zo group moved to Abidjan, and went on tour to Burkina Faso and Belgium and, with a different personel, to Switzerland. With the new gruop, Kia Zo, he worked in an education project called "Jeunesse Musicale" that took place in Belgium; they played in Belgium Switzerland, Holland and England. In 2000 Zacharia went to Paris, to work with Hugh Anoi in his creations of dance. He taught in classes and workshops and recorded a cd of traditional music. In 2003 he travelled to Florence and met Nahi Alain starting a mew musical experience with Giguywassa.

Gérard Diby
Gerard Diby was born in 1975 in Ivory Coast. He has been dancing since he was ten years old, but his true career started with the national dance festival "Varetoscope", where he won the firstprize with the company of Marcory. In 1992 he enters the company "Ballet Marahuet" where he danced with Alain Nahi who was already a dancer and teacher in the group. In 1996 he joined the company "Kiyi m'Bock" where he participated in three creative pieces. In 1998 he took part of the shows "Dozo" and "Alama" with the company Djolem. In 1999 he entered the "Ballet National" travelling on tour in Africa and Europe. With this he moved to Paris to teach dance at the "Centre Momboye" and to become dancer in the company "Cie George Momboye" where he choreographed the latest piece "Adjiaya" currently on tour all over the world. In 2002 he collaborated with the group "Clara Scotch". In 2003 after many years he joined again Nahi Alain in the company Giguywassa.

Sandra Brigida
Sandra Brigida was born in Cesena in 1971. She has studied artistic gymnastics since the age of four. In 1992 she moves to Florence to study Foreign Languages and Literatures in the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy. In 1995 she becomes interested in African traditional dance and percussion studying with the teachers Sana Soro and Brahima Dembele. In 1997 she goes to New York deepening her interest and iproving her skills at the Djoniba Center, frequenting classes of great dancers from different African countries: Vado Diomande, Marie Bass, Fumilayo, Lamine Tiam and others. In 1999 she completes a trip to the Ivory Coast, where she studies with the company "Yelemba d'Abidjan". In Italy she frequents various seminars with Elsa Wolliaston, Koffy Koko, Ismail Bangoura, Irene Tassembedo, Mama Adama Camara, Kady Diarra and others. In 2000 she joins the company Shonkama and in 2002 Giguywassa. Actually she lives in Florence and leads african dance classes for children.

Martina Masini
Martina Masini was born in Florence in 1974. She studies classical guitar with the teacher Lorenzo Guarnieri and in 1993 she receives the License of Theory and Solfeggio from the "National Conservatory L. Cherubini" in Florence. Later she abandons musical studies to devote herself to the theatre, working experimental colective theaters and following seminars with groups such as "Living Theater" of Judith Malina and "Odin Theater" of Eugine Barba (particularly with Robeta Carreri). From 1995 she becomes interested in African traditional dance studying with teachers as Nahi Alain, Claudine Zemassa, Sana Soro and Elsa Wolliaston. In January 2000 she completes a study trip in the Ivory Coast as a student of the company "Yelemba d'Abidjan". Returning to Italy she becomes dancer in the company Shionkama. In July 2002 she graduetes in "History of thee Mime and the Dance" from the DAMS in Bologna with a thesis on the traditional dance in Ivory Coast and joins the company Giguywassa.

Yacouba Dembele
Yacouba Dembele was born in 1976 in Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso). From a family of Griots, his artistic way starts in1989 in the Ivory Coast where together with members of his family he plays the flute in traditional ceremonies. He takes part of the activities of different company of theater and music in Abidjan such as "Corasse" directed by the famous Mory Traore and undertakes a tour in various African countries: Togo, Mali, Kenya, Ethiopia and Mauritania. In 1998 the company Djoleme brings him to Senegal for a stage and in Holland to participate in the "Limbour Festival". The same year he is on tour in France, Belgium and Germany, and with the company of modern dance "Shola" in Canada. In 1999 he joins the company "Ensemble Koteba"and leaves on tour to France, Martinique and United States. In 2000 he arrives in Italy and enters the company Shionkama.
He also collaborates with the company "Tubabu" in Milan and in 2002 he joins the company Giguywassa.

Floriana Iacona
Floriana Iacona was born in Mantova in 1976. She has taken courses of classical dance since she was s child and subsequently she becomes interested in modern and contemporary dance. In 1995 she moves to Florence to study "Art History" in the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy and in 1999 she learns about African dance with the teachers Sana Soro and Nahi Alain. She has participated in various seminars around Italy with teachers as Elsa Wolliaston, Ismail Bangoura, Evelyne Mambo, Irene Tassembedo, Mama Adama Camara, Gerard Diby, Kady Diarra and others. In 2002 she joins the company Giguywassa.

Niurka Augero Hechavarria
Niurka Augero Hechavarria was born in 1973 in Santiago de Cuba where she frequents the "Escuela Vocational de Art Jose Maria Heredia. At the age of twelve she moves to La Havana to attend the "Escuela National de Art" where she graduates in 1992 as soloist dancer and teacher of Modern and Folkloric dance. In 1993 she enters the professional company "Theater Dance of the Caribe"directed by the choreographer and ballet dancer Edoardo Rivero Walzer where she works as soloist dancer in pièces such as "Sulkari", "Okantomi", "Destellos", "Unidos", "Entre Blancos y Negros" and many others, esteemed as the most representative product in Cuba of Modern Dance closely bound to cultural and folkloric roots. With the company she travels on tour to Mexico, Colombia, Portugal, Spain, France. In 2000 she ariives in Italy where she continues her activity as dancer and teacher and in 2002 through some stages with the teacher Alain Nahi she becomes interested in African traditional dance. In 2003 she joins Giguywassa.

Brahima Dembele
Brahima Dembele was born in Burkina Faso in 1970 from a very important family of Griot. Since he was a child he learns to play balaphon and kora and to sing. Later with his famous uncle he starts to play percussions (doum doum, Djembe).At the age of fifteen he lives in a school-house devoting himself to the study of soloist djembe and at the age of sixteen he is already a very appreciated musician, sought after traditional ceremonies and artistic events. In 1987 he wins the National Musical Contest organized by the National Culture Department and in 1988 he enters the "Ballet National de Cote d'Ivoire" travelling on tour in Africa Europe and Asia. In 1992 he joins the company "Marahet"and arrives on tour in Italy where he decides to settle down. In Italy he collaborates with many artists experimenting with new fusions between African music and jazz, latin music, new age, ambient. In 1993 he enters the group of research about percussion "Fuentes" with Ettore Bonafè, Paolo Casu e Sergio Gistri and reords a cd titled "Gran Masala"in 1996. In 1994 he creates himself an African traditional ensemble "Griot Metropolitain"; he travels on tour all over Italy collaborating with important musicians such as Antonello Salis. In 1995 he works with the group "Ch'i" and records two cds; the same year his family is invited by "Festival dei Popoli" in Florence and together with them he records the cd "Aira yo, la dance des jeunes griots” (Amiata Records). In Florence he starts his didactic activity becoming Cultural Operator for the Region of Tuscany and working as teacher and musician in theaters ("Compagnia Tearale di Parma", "Teatro delle Bricole", etc.)and schools. In 2000 he enters the company Shionkama and in 2004 he joins Giguywassa.

Angelo Mendolia
Angelo Mendolia was born in Caltanissetta (Italy) in 1964. Graduated as Electric operator, since 1995 he works as sound technician and electrician in various theaetrs and festival in Europe. Since 1981, beside his job he plays electric bass guitar in many important bands of the underground rock scene in Europe such as "The Ravings", "Fase 4". He completes three European tours and records two LPs. Sound and light technician in Shionkama he joins in 2002 Gguywassa.