Kouyatejeli

Our Mission

As culture bearers, we carry and diffuse traditional values that allow individuals to recognize the discipline and richness of cultural arts, with the organic celebration of diversity, heritage, and community.

Empower the Community

Using traditional arts through cultural and educational experiences to empower individuals in community development.

Preserve Ancestral Traditions

Presenting, producing and preserving traditional West African art forms through dance, instrumentation, theatre, collaboration and innovation.

Create Access

Providing accessible opportunities that enable community and cultural change to maintain a more diverse, welcoming, and inclusive climate for all.

Experimental. Powerful. Creative.

Discover how cultural traditions evolve and are kept alive in contemporary society.

Leadership

Assane Kouyaté is a cultural arts practitioner and one of a few indigenous West African artists based in Atlanta, GA. His multidisciplinary projects, experimental work and collaborations bridge cultural and physical differences through the arts, making him highly sought out in the United States and abroad, with individuals regularly assembling to study under his tutelage.

Keeper of physical, musical, and oral traditions passed down through generations…over 800 years, from the Mali Empire

Creator of collective experiences through a blend of traditional and cultural works intersecting across a variety of artistic disciplines.

Entertainer + designer engaging audiences for 30+ years in public spaces, at major performance venues, and in conjunction with local and international organizations.

Innovator crafting vibrant experiences that foster cultural arts opportunities and programmatic accessibility to multigenerational audiences.

We provide diverse educational and cultural experiences, and can also customize services based on your preferences or curriculum. Our Services include:

01 Cultural Labs

West African Master Classes and Choreography Intensives for youth, adults, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.

02 Educational Programming

Programs for K-12 OR Tertiary/College/University. Students will discover traditional dance, rhythms, and musical art-forms as an important part of ceremonies that mark the experience of a person's life, teach social values, and depict stories and history of the community.

03 Performances & Events

Vibrant, high-energy dance presentations accompanied by 13th century Manding instruments OR live drum ensemble for special events including Corporate Celebrations, Black History Month, Juneteenth, Festivals, Weddings, etc.

04 Innovation & Technology

Software and website development, and digital transformation services to support Georgia based artists and arts organizations.

05 Travel & Tours

International travel to West Africa (Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali) or the Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados. St. Vincent) and cultural excursions.

Signature Programs

Cultural Activations. Commissioned Works. Experimental & Ongoing Projects.

La Culture Mandingue

LCM honors and celebrates the physical, musical, and oral griot traditions of the Manding (Malinké or Mandinka) and identifies similar heritage among various West African ethnic groups.

Exploring Griot Musical Traditions

The musical component of La Culture Mandingue (LCM), focusing on a selection of Manding djéli-jeli-griot songs and 13th century instruments from their origin to the Mali Empire, dating back to pre-colonial days.

La Nuit du Bazin

A biennial high fashion, music and cultural event that specifically highlights the bazin textiles of Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, and neighboring West African countries.

Sabar Rek Atlanta

Every Year. Every Fall. Every October. Our annual Fall Conference & Cultural Event uncovers folkloric dance and drum traditions of the Wolof & Serer ethnic groups of the Senegambian region.

SAVE THE DATES

OCT. 11-13, 2024

Conference Theme

Coming Soon

Conference & Cultural Event

Sabar Rek ATLANTA

Every Year. Every Fall. Every October.

The Conference occurs the weekend before Indigenous People’s Day.

Learn More

01

Dance

Movement that celebrates rich traditions of diverse West African ethnic groups, to transform lives, open minds, and collaboratively uplift the community.

02

Drum

Live rhythms that compel us to move, in context with its origin, and from the perspective of the cultural practitioner.

03

Wellness

Our shared cultural arts experiences are powerful unifying forces, which can be used as a therapeutic tool for healing.

04

Community

Removing vast disparities in terms of access to public arts programs and services. Building awareness, understanding, and outreach.

TRAVEL WITH US

Our 2-week cultural and educational tours and excursions immerse and expose participants to traditional West African arts and culture, and the history and effect of the slave trade which led several West Africans to the Caribbean islands. Participants are encouraged to come with an open mind and spirit.

The Caribbean

When: Summer/Winter
Where: Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent

West Africa

When: Summer/Winter
Where: Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Guinea, Guinea Bissau