About Our Director



Christina Gerard-Sylla



Christina "Jo Jo Dancer" Gerard-Sylla possesses over 20 years of professional performance experience beginning in 1991 as a hip hop background dancer with such artists as RP Cola, Act-a-Fool, and UGK. After a decade of touring, the desire to learn the origins of hip hop prompted her to perform and study under world renowned drummer, dancer and griot, Djeli Moussa Diabate, for seven years. With the blessing of her master and elders from Conakry, Guinea, West Africa, Christina founded KoumanKe'le'(kuma kelen) African Dance & Drum Ensemble in 2003 where she currently serves as Artistic Director.

Mrs. Gerard-Sylla's desire to positively impact and empower today's youth set her on a journey to become an Arts Educator with SHAPE Community Center and Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (M.E.C.A.) from 2002 until the present. She has been an Arts Instructor for KIPP Schools, Houston ISD, Stafford ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Alief ISD, Aldine ISD, CASE, 21st Century After-School, as well as, served as an Adjunct Professor at Houston Community College-Northwest. As a lecturer, Mrs Gerard-Sylla has presented for Colorado's Creative Strategies for Change: Social Justice 101, Houston's Society for the Performing Arts, Houston Arts Partners' annual conference-The World Classroom, Houston Community College-Central, Houston Grand Opera-Religare Music Series and The Imani Institute. Other professional experience includes Artistic Director and principal dancer with Kuumba House Dance Theater, under the direction of Lindi Yeni and Dimakasto 'Mama D" Hampton: principal dancer with Djeli Kunda West African Drum & Dance Ensemble under the direction of Moussa Diabate and dancer with WonLande Dance & Drum Company directed by Mohamed Diaby. Christina also served as artistic director of the Impilio Cultural Dance Troupe where she created and choreographed the 60- minute traditional dance ballet, The Seven Gifts of Kwanzaa. Discovering Houston's lack of exposure to master African diaspora dance instructors, in 2008 Christina created the Kipekee African Diaspora Dance & Drum Festival and helps host the national conference in Houston, Texas annually.

​In 2013, Christina founded the Uaminifu Youth Ensemble to better serve the children of our community. The year 2014 saw the creation of the Kuaminika Dance Academy once Mrs Gerard-Sylla realized our children needed to study more before they performed. In 2019, Christina felt a personal shift toward theater and film after being cast as a soloist in the new Coming to America 2 movie starring Eddie Murphy. December of 2021 saw Christina's acting debut in the role of 'Aunt Daisy" in the Cultural Arts Initiative's Houston's Urban Nutcracker production. Currently, Mrs Gerard-Sylla continues her own cultural studies with annual trips to Africa, instructs the rhythmic bodies and hands of future generations of traditional dancers and drummers, performs professionally across the USA and Mexico, while sharing the world of dance and culture with her husband, Moussa, daughters Nonde, Iona Makota, Xolani and grandson, Ayden,




Meet the Family..



Female principals



Dr Adiagha Mbonisi



Co-Founder



Adiagha has been involved in cultural arts since 1991 with performance, choreographer, production, costume design and instructor experience. She has performed and studied under world renown dancer, drummer griot Djeli Moussa Diabate, Youssouff Koumbassa and Mamady Sano. Adiagha has traveled and performed around the USA and Africa, as well as, instructed youth and adults throughout Texas on the history, culture and movement of West African dance. Adiagha has performed in local plays throughout Houston and Dallas, Texas, as well.



Ajewole allen



Associate Director



Alana Allen began training with Paul Sloan of Houston School of Dance ap Ensemble), a pre-professional youth company in Houston, Texas. She continued her studies of musical theater, tap and ballet through senior high school performing in notable places as Miller Outdoor Theater alongside Houston Symphony Pops Orchestra and with Dickins on the Strand in Galveston, Texas. Throughout her college dance career at Praire View A & M University, she was a member of Classic Dance Ensemble under the direction of Danyale Williams. Alana is a founding member of the PVAMU chapter of Nu Delta Alpha dance fraternity.



Teresa Nunnery



Dancer



Teresa was introduced to ballet, tap and lyrical dance at age 5. She was able to use her dancing skills from high school to college. After moving to Houston in 2005, she was invited to attend a traditional African dance class. She quickly fell in love with the rhythms and the history behind each movement African dance carries. During her dance career Teresa participated in the 2019 and 2021 productions of Houston's Urban Nutcracker and various Kwanzaa celebrations.



Brittany Lane



Dancer



Brittany Lane, a contemporary dance artist, who has choreographed and performed in award-winning pieces for the past 13 years. She graduated from Texas State University with a BFA in Dance and a Secondary Teaching Certification and Texas Women'sUniversity where she received her MFA in Dance. Currently, she is a dance instructor and Fine Arts Head at Hightower High School. Brittany has taught various workshops and intensives in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and the DFW Metroplex. She performed at the South Central Conference of the ACDA in Texas, the 254 Festival in Waco, Texas and the Dance X Festival in Belize. She performed with two professional companies in the DFW Metroplex: Bandon Koro and LyveArts International. Currently, she dances with Houston based companies, Urban Souls and KoumanKe'le' African Dance & Drum Ensemble.



Nonde Simpson



Dancer
2003-2018



iona Ashe



Dancer
2004-2019



Nana Dompreh



Dancer
2014-2016



deanna santiago



Dancer
2013-2016



Male principals



Terrell davenport



Dancer



This native of Warrenton, North Carolina, quickly found a love for the performing arts at an early age. As he grew older, his love for the performing arts beconed him to audition for various plays and talent shows where he choreographed stage performances. Not limiting himself to singing and acting, Mr Davenport began to explore his gift of dance. During that time he joined The Coalition of Youth Empowerment under the Whole Village Dance Ensemble. It was at that moment, his passion to express various aspects of culture through dance and performance thrived. In 2007, Terrell graduated from St Augustine's College with a Bachelor's degree in Theater and Film. Shortly after he studied dance and culture abroad on the continent of Africa and in the Caribbean. After a few short years of cultivating his passion for the performing arts, Mr Davenport perused a degree in dance at North Carolina Agricultural and State University. While attending her was a company member with Eleanor Gwynn Dancers and Wesley Williams Urban Dance Theatre.



christopher lawrence vii



Dancer



A native of Houston, Texas, Christopher L. Lester, M.A., has been dancing since he was a kid. He was involved in dance clubs in Cunningham Middle and North Shore High School. Christopher furthered his academic studies at the University of Oklahoma for his B.A. in Communications-minor in (AFAM) African and African-American Studies, while still dancing. During his time there, he was an active member of OU's leadership class, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., African Student Association(AFSA), and many others. While at OU, Christopher choreographed many African dance pieces for AFSA, took West African dance classes, danced at special programs, and studied dance and drumming abroad in Jamaica. Christopher also took classes via OU's School of Dance. He received his Master's in Counseling from Praire View A& M University. Mr Lester has an immense love for people and he is an avid fan of art, travel and culture. Some of his favorite dance disciplines are Mime, Liturgical, Dancehall, Hip-Hop, African Diaspora Cultural Dances, Abstract, Contemporary, and Step.



Alonzo Lee moore iv



Dancer
2011-2014



Alonzo began his dance training in 2002 as a student in Loyola Univesity's Ballet Repertory Program under the direction of Gayle Parmale and Laura Zombrano. Alonzo performed with Komenka Ethnic Music and Dance Ensemble from 2002-2006, 2012, 2018 touring Belgium, Poland, Bulgaria and France. In 2007, he became a company member of Oregon Shakespeare Festival, serving as resident Actor/Choreographer for four seasons. Alonzo began work with Dancing People Company in 2007, as well, bringing modern dance to southern Oregon, touring throughout the northwest. In 2009, Alonzo performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in "Throne of Blood", directed by experimental theater master Ping Chong. Alonzo returned to the Houston community where he has danced with Hope Stone Inc., Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre, Theatre Under the Starts, KoumanKe'le' African Dance & Drum Ensemble, Houston Grand Opera, Karen Stokes Dance, and most recently with Open Dance Project. Currently, Alonzo teaches Creative Movement through Young Audiences of Houston as he works to complete his Nursing BSN.



The musicians



ogunrinde abiona



Founding Member/Drummer
Djembe 1st Chair



A master drummer who has intensely studied West African drumming for over two decades. He is both a performing and teaching artist. He has studied under the tutelege of Mamady Keita, Barago Hayes, Famoudou Konate, Laurant Camara, Bolokade Conde, Fode Bangoura and Mohamed Diaby and is also well versed in the Yoruba drums of IFA practiced through his Nigerian ancestry. Throughout his studies and teachings, he has focused his craft on developing a rich understanding of traditional West African drum rhythms and how to use this art form as a medium to promote emotional, mental, physical and spiritual healing. Baba Cedrick attended Grambling State University and holds a Master's degree in both Criminal Justice and Public Administration.



adam carman



Drummer
Djembe 2nd Chair



Adam received his first drum in 1999 and began playing at drum circles, poetry readings and open mic events. In 2004, Adam met Terrance Karn and started performing with Moodafaruka, a world fusion band. Through Terrence, Adam was exposed to musical accompaniment for modern dance at University of Houston, Hopestone, Inc., and Houston Ballet/Ben Stevenson academy. It was at this time he also joined Kuumba House Dance Theatre, a South African dance compnay founded by Lindi Yeni. Here, he met, the then artistic director, Christina Gerard, and it proved to be a lasting partnership. Having played with a number of bands over the years, widely ranging in genre, Adam is always drawn back to the African roots of music. Since 2008, his focus has been classical, religious and folks music from the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.



max incharregui



Drummer
Djembe



Max has been honored and privileged to be a member of KoumanKe'le' since 2014, where he has studied the folklore., culture, music and dance of West African djembe/dundun and South African traditions. He began his study of Malinke culture under the late Abubakr Kouyate, who introduced him to Christina Gerard-Sylla and Baba Ogunrinde Abiona. Studying under Ms Christina and Mr Washington for several years, Max has laid a foundation of drumming knowledge and skills as a student. He has plans to continue performing and learning with KoumanKe'le for as long as possible. .



ezenachi uzoma



Drummer
Djembe



damon garfield



Drummer
Dunun



cameron martin



Drummer
Dunun



Isaac goins



Drummer
Djembe



Jerome Ondrel harris



Drummer Emeritus
Rest in Power



" All of the words in all of the world were put in the drum and then they closed it. You have to respect that."



- Moussa Diabate


Contact us



Houston, Texas 77051
832-859-2156



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