Seny Daffe was born in Conakry, Guinea, West Africa, where dancing and drumming are inseparable from their culture. He is a versatile musician and a very talented dancer, singer and comedian. Seny has a wealth of performing experience in traditional and contemporary dance and drum. Since coming to the United States in 2006, he has traveled the east coast from Florida to Vermont working with several companies and well-known artists. As a member of Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater of Burlington, VT, he is a regular drummer and teacher for dance classes, and assists in musical direction and choreography. He also independently leads multiple dance and drum classes, and is in popular demand to lead workshops throughout the northeast and beyond. He is a multi-talented and dynamic teacher and performer who is gaining a reputation for his approachable and exciting dance and drum classes, his electrifying doundoun playing, and for his rich and powerful voice.
Namory Keita
Namory is an accomplished Guinean drummer who was the lead drummer for his village, Sangbaralla. He has lead countless traditional musical events and ceremonies. Since 2006, Namory has performed and taught around the U.S. and internationally and has recorded with the group Fankaba. He has taught a weekly drum class in Brattleboro, Vt. and Kittery, Me. for several years. Since 2012 Namory has been touring with the Akwaaba Ensemble. He is a fabulous djembe player and a generous teacher who is experienced at teaching across cultures and skill levels. He is known for his love of his village, his respect for traditional music and his infectious joy of life. Take a class with Namory and experience the joy of learning from a masterful player and teacher. He will bring extra djembe drums in case any students need them for the class.
This is a quote by Gena Corea who has been taking Namory's drum class:
Every cell in Namory Keita's body is marinated in the compelling rhythms of his native Guinea and of all West Africa. But Namory's big and kind heart beats the constant pulse of his drum class and that's the best rhythm of all. I appreciate Namory's gentle patience with me and his big grin and exuberant, "You got it! You really got it!" when, after fumbling starts, I finally do get it. Studying drum with Namory Keita is a great joy in my life.
---Gena Corea
Namory is an accomplished Guinean drummer who was the lead drummer for his village, Sangbaralla. He has lead countless traditional musical events and ceremonies. Since 2006, Namory has performed and taught around the U.S. and internationally and has recorded with the group Fankaba. He has taught a weekly drum class in Brattleboro, Vt. and Kittery, Me. for several years. Since 2012 Namory has been touring with the Akwaaba Ensemble. He is a fabulous djembe player and a generous teacher who is experienced at teaching across cultures and skill levels. He is known for his love of his village, his respect for traditional music and his infectious joy of life. Take a class with Namory and experience the joy of learning from a masterful player and teacher. He will bring extra djembe drums in case any students need them for the class.
This is a quote by Gena Corea who has been taking Namory's drum class:
Every cell in Namory Keita's body is marinated in the compelling rhythms of his native Guinea and of all West Africa. But Namory's big and kind heart beats the constant pulse of his drum class and that's the best rhythm of all. I appreciate Namory's gentle patience with me and his big grin and exuberant, "You got it! You really got it!" when, after fumbling starts, I finally do get it. Studying drum with Namory Keita is a great joy in my life.
---Gena Corea
- Ult Mundane has been studying traditional West African drumming for over fifteen years. He has learned from world-renowned teachers such as Famoudou Konate and Mamady Keita, and since 2010 he has studied with Namory Keita, a master drummer from Guinea who now lives in Maine. He's been teaching weekly djembe and dundun classes for twelve years. He currently
- teaches Monday evenings at the Rise Up Center in Wilton, NH.
Raoul Ombang was born in Cameroon in central Africa. He started to drum and dance when he was 11 with a dance group from his village, Bafia. He created a school for percussion and dance where he taught traditional and modern percussion and dances from Cameroon. By 2002 gained notoriety as a percussionist and choreographer. In 2004 he toured Chad, Nigeria, the Gabon and Togo. He was sought out by several artists to drum on their recordings. In 2011 he joined the Singo Dance Troupe as choreographer and percussionist. In 2013 he arrived in America with the Singo Troupe and currently resides in Brattleboro Vermont where he continues to teach dance and drum and to promote the culture of Cameroon.
