African Culture Connection's artist include master dancers, drummers and story tellers from the United States and abroad. Their presentations are engaging and dynamic – imparting an appreciation and respect for African culture.
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Charles Ahovissi African Culture Connection Founder Charles Ahovissi is a professional artist dancer, drummer, choreographer, educator, costume designer and tailor. He is an approved teaching and performing artist through the Nebraska and Iowa Arts Councils. Charles Ahovissi has participated in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' Seminar," Planning Effective Arts-Integrated Residencies for Students", Laying a Foundation: Defining Arts Integration and Anatomy of a Lesson: Designing Instruction in Cedar Falls, at the University Northern of Iowa. Since 1986, Charles has toured the world as a member of the Ballet National of Benin, performing and teaching traditional African dance and drumming. Now residing in Omaha, Charles wants to share his knowledge and love of Africa through traditional dancing and drumming to foster better understanding of Africa’s diverse and beautiful cultures.
Charles is the contact person for African Culture Connections. To arrange for your presentation or to get more information, please contact Charles by phone at (402) 238-8259 or through our website. Contact Us |
Through dancing and drumming during public performances, school assemblies, residencies, and workshops, Charles promotes unity and multiculturalism while offering students a fun, social and physical activity. Charles provides multicultural lessons by giving students authentic, hands-on experiences with African culture. He creates an authentic African village ambiance and uses ceremonial African clothes as well as traditional instruments to teach about African culture. Charles incorporates a variety of activities into his educational programs depending on the length. Creating African crafts such as masks, necklaces, shakers, headbands, and ankle bells can also be incorporated into residencies. Charles currently teaches African dance and music at the University of Nebraska-Omaha every Friday from 6-9 p.m. and Saturday from 9-10 a.m. in the H.P.E.R. Building, Room 228.
Luc Aho
Born in Benin, sprung from the royal family, Luc Aho was quickly initiated in African music and dance as his family tradition wanted. In 1980 the international choreographer, Koffi Koko, selected him for the Ballet National of Benin. Based in Bretagne, France he wants to share with the world the value and quality of the polyrhythmic and traditional African dance that he secured. He is the founder of Iya Orisha Company in Bretagne, France.
LaTryce Anderson
LaTryce’s passion for dance ignited and started to perform and dance at age 10. Since 2000, she has choreographed, taught and performed many different styles of dance. She has experience in contemporary, hip-hop and African dance with a touch of jazz and modern. She also has a passion for writing and sculpture. She currently is part of the dance ministry at Bethesda Temple SDA church and teaches and performs with African Culture Connection. She says everyone has it in them to express themselves with the freedom of movement to rhythm.
Julien Babinga
In the beginning there was the rhythm, and the rhythm was God, the tool with which he generated space and time. This animist credo has found an excellent spokesman in Babinga’s polyrhythmic magic, a veritable living fragment of the musical memory of the ancient realm of Kongo, which, until the XVI century, grouped Northern Angola and Southern Kongo. Babinga is an excellent percussion and dance teacher.
Antonio Luis Betanzos
Antonio’s roots in rhythm begin with the Cuban culture and music he has been immersed in his entire life. In African Culture Connection, he has found a direct connection to the deeper roots of afro-Cuban rhythms and music. Throughout his musical education, his rhythm has been influenced by artists such as Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, and Paquito D’Rivera as well as Charles Ahovissi and artists who have collaborated with African Culture Connection in the past three years.
Etienne Cakpo
Etienne Cakpo is a professional dancer, choreographer and musician from Benin, West Africa. He teaches and performs traditional African dance from Benin as well as contemporary African dance styles. Based in Seattle, Washington, Etienne directs Gansango Music & Dance. Etienne delivers quality educational workshops at schools, libraries, festivals and public classes for participants of all ages. Learn More
Thierno Dioubate
Thierno Dioubate is a Griot from Boke, Guinea who is an expert on Balafon and Djembe. He has performed worldwide with Mali Kora master Toumani Dioubate, Guinee vocalist extrodinaire Sekou Bambino Dioubate, as well as his brother Karamba Dioubate. Thierno started performing professionally at age 17 as he continued to learn the Balafon from his griot father. The great Aladji Suroon Dioubate, and performed in Guinee with Sole de Afrique.
Starlette Dossou
Starlette was born in Paris, France to two African parents from Benin, West Africa. She moved back to Benin with her mother and the rich culture took full affect. As a child, she started dancing to the music of heritage in her family’s bar. At the age of nine, she moved to the United States with her mother. Starlette is currently dancing with Charles Ahovissi.
Starlette and her mother founded, La Belle Afrique Foundation to help American's learn about Western Africa culture. In this role, she choreographed and organized West African dances and fashion shows. She has been an active member of the African Cultural Connection since 2006.
Jason Horacek
is a multi-instrumentalist, having played African and Middle Eastern hand drums for two decades, numerous flutes, and more recently, the Australian dijeridu. He is continuing to learn djembe rhythms from Charles Ahovissi, has studied and performed with Senegalese master drummer Mamadou Mane Badiane, studied doumbek drum with Syrian drummer Nour Douchi and Della Bynum, and jammed with Vinx. Jason learned flute techniques from Carlos Nakai, Kevin Locke and Steve Stacy. He received instruction on the dijeridu from Australians Paul Taylor and Phil Jones. Jason is passionate about exploring the common threads in musical traditions worldwide.
Shawneita Irvin
Shawneita was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She has 20+ years of dancing experience. With a strong background in Hip Hop, Shawneita has also had training in African, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Tap dance. She started teaching Modern dance in 1997 at Fairfield Academy in Chicago, IL and since then has trained and danced with Creighton Dance Company, The Moving Dance Co. and African Culture Connection. She was also Choreographer and performing artist for Global Girls 2003-2009 and Currently a Senior Nursing Student at the College of St. Mary.
Morikeba Kouyate
Morikeba's story began over 700 years ago with his ancestors. He is a Griot, or "Carrier of the Oral Tradition" and is also known for his electrifying performances on the traditional Kora, a 21- string instrument from Gambia, Senegal, and Mali. He has been featured regularly on radio and television and played before African royalty and the presidents of several countries. Morikeba has given workshops around the country and has taught/performed at Harvard, DePaul, Northwestern, Xavier, and many other universities. He currently resides in New Orleans.
Siya Manyakanyaka
Siya originates from South Africa, and is an accomplished dancer and singer who has performed with the Iintombi Zilapha Dancers, Gansango Music & Dance, Sankofa Theatre’s Maafa Experience, and Seattle Theatre Group’s Dance This! Influenced by a wide variety of dance styles, Siya performs modern dance as well as traditional dance from West and Southern Africa.
Kane Mathis
Kane studied in the birthplace of Kora, The Gambia, with one of the country's most famous musical families, Jobarteh (Diabate) Kunda. This study resulted in diplomas and certificates of recognition from Malamini Jobarteh, The Gambian minister of culture, and the President of the Gambia. Kane has been featured on Gambian radio since 1999. Subsequent trips to The Gambia have found Kane headlining concerts, performing with his Gambian trio on national television and at the first annual Gambian heritage festival as well as sitting in with the Jobarteh family band Salaam.
Megan Minturn
Dance of all styles and origins has always been an integral part of Megan’s life. She began ballet at age 3 and participated in Perry Mansfield’s Performing Arts School and Omaha Theatre Company’s Pre-professional. At Fordham College at Lincoln Center Megan majored in Philosophy and minored in African and French Major Studies. she was fell in love with West African dance in Senegal in 2006. After graduating, Megan returned to Senegal as a teacher. She is a teaching artist combining her appreciation for the arts, and educating others about the rich histories and cultures of African.
Seku Neblett
Seku is a master drummer, cultural artist and lecturer. His life has been spent as a part of the Civil Rights, Human Rights, and Pan-Africanist movements that have determined his ideological development and growth. His travels throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Canada have expanded his knowledge of the many problems and issues that effect people throughout the world. During these travels he lectured on “African Culture And Its Realities (ACAIR), a cultural diversity concept and program taught to Seku directly by Presidents Seku Ture of Guinea and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.
Frank Wharton
Frank specializes in flutes, vibes, wind synthesizer, alto & soprano Saxes, hand percussion, balafon. He was a member of the Grammy Award winning “Sounds of Blackness” and performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Cleveland Philharmonic, the St. Paul Civic Orchestra, and the Minneapolis Chamber Symphony as well as with Albert King, Jon Faddis, “Third World.” Frank is a co-founder of the Twin Cities Black Flute Society, the Onyx Classical Ensemble, and the Reginald Buckner Memorial Ensemble and served on the National Association of Negro Musicians and the Black Music Educators of the Twin Cities boards.
These talented, knowledgeable artists are available to perform, teach or both.
Call us at (402) 238-8259 or contact us through our website now.
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