Thursday, May 23, 2013

Tenenfig Dioubate is one of a celebrated group of women teaching West African dance in the United States today. She sat down with M. Soledad Sklate and shared the stories behind how she came to dance, and how she made her way here from Guinea.  Tenenfig teaches West African dance on Fridays from 6:00-7:30pm and Sundays from 3:00-4:30pm.

Article by M. Soledad Sklate.

Q: How did you start dancing?

A: I come from a griot family – my father, Elaje Koumba Enssou Dioubate, was the first griot in Guinea to play the balaphone. Dancing was always part of my family. My father, my sister, my brother – we all grew up dancing, playing musical instruments, and singing. When I was 12 years old, I joined Silimbó Adean, the dance troupe that my brothers Lansana Dioubate and Moussa Dioubate created in Senegal. For many years, I went back and forth between dancing in Guinea and Senegal until I was recruited by Les Ballets Africains de Guinea, which is the National Dance & Drum Troupe of the Republic of Guinea. I became the lead dancer, and also taught younger dancers and foreigners. Kemoko Sano, the first choreographer of Les Ballets Africains, also had another smaller company, Les Ballets Merveilles d’Afrique, where I also was a lead dancer. These opportunities allowed me to travel all over the world, and in 1994, I came with Les Ballets Africains to tour the US.

Q: How did you start teaching in the United States?

A: During that tour, I was teaching classes and workshops in addition to performing. After the tour, I was engaged to stay and continue teaching and performing all over the country. I worked with Disneyworld and Universal Studios performing traditional African dance in Florida, taught 6 months in Colorado, then in Hawaii, and also in the Philadelphia area until I came to the Jersey/New York area. I worked closely with the Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble in Camden, New Jersey. From 1996 to now, I’ve been teaching, choreographing, organizing cultural trips to Guinea, and travelling all over the world sharing my expertise in African dance and culture. Last year, I had the great opportunity to spend 3 months in Mexico, where I taught dance, culture, dundun percussion, and also performed, sang, and played the drums for the public.

Q: How did you start teaching at Cumbe?

A: M’Bemba Bangoura, another West African dance teacher, asked me to sub for him a few times at Cumbe. Believe or not, I had met Pat (Hall) when I first came to the US on tour with Les Ballets Africains. When I saw her at Cumbe and told her who I was, she could not believe it! It was great to reconnect with Pat, whom I admire, respect, and love dearly. After subbing for M’Bemba a couple of times, Pat and I started to talk about the possibility of having my own West African dance class. Since the first time I stepped in Cumbe, I felt welcome and at home. Everyone there is so nice, the environment is very supportive! I’m very happy to have the opportunity to offer my classes there.

Q: What dances and rhythms do you teach in your class?

A: I teach West African traditional dances and rhythms. My Friday class is focused on traditional dances from the Casamance, a northern region of Senegal. The drumming and dancing from that region is called kutouro (or kutiro). My Sunday class is more focused on celebrating the traditional Guinean dances such as dundumba, a dance to celebrate the strength of nature, and also traditional rhythms such as djembe.

Q: What is your teaching philosophy?

A: I first of all want to support my culture and share it with others. I want people who come to my class to learn something about African culture. And I also want them to be empowered through their dancing. I welcome everyone in my class, and make them feel comfortable and relaxed even if they have never done African dance before. I always introduce myself and greet students personally. My classes are challenging, but full of positive energy. Dancing is happiness, so I want my students to be happy during my class. My hope is that the happiness lasts for the rest of their day!

About the writer: M. Soledad Sklate is a PhD student in the French Department at New York University, doing academic research on the intersection of literature and embodied cultural practices and manifestations rooted in African diasporic influences. She is an avid practitioner of Latin and African dances, and is working at Cumbe as a Media and Communications intern.

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