Click on the photos to go to individual biographies
 Music Company led by Vieux Bakayoko |
 Master djembefola Nahini Doumbia |
 Outstanding Senegalese musician Amadou (Jinx) Djighaly |
 Outstanding female percussionist, Rosie Colvin |
 Dance Company led by Saskia Bakayoko |
 Vanessa Guevara |
 Bex Tindle |
 Aisha Dennis |
 Jenny Rintoul |
 Mimi Bior |
Music Company led by Vieux Bakayoko
Ansoumana ‘Vieux’ Bakayoko is a master musician. A djembe player and musical director, he also plays and teaches Doundoun, Bolon (the West African base harp) and Krin (wooden log drum form Guinea). His djembe workshops take you to the heart of this ancient tradition and all his students are encouraged …
Master djembefola Nahini Doumbia
An outstanding and authentic djembe player from Mali, Nahini and Vieux share an ethnic heritage and a passion for traditional music. Great friends and great musicians, their partnership at the front of Hamana drives the music which inspires the dancers!!!
An accomplished recording artist, Nahini has a CD released with Arc music and …
Outstanding Senegalese musician Amadou (Jinx) Djighaly
is from the Casamance region of Senegal, just north of Guinea and south of The Gambia. He comes from a spiritual family and grew up with the vibrant sounds of West African music, which permeates the everyday life of the people there.
Jinx and Vieux lived together and performed together in …
Outstandng Female Percussionist Rosie Colvin
Rosie Colvin is along time pioneer of the Senegalese national drum and dance tradition of Sabar. With her talent for Sabar and its complex rhythms and timing, Hamana knew she would be an amazing anchor in the role of Doundoun player.
A teacher and performer for many years and veteran of the …
Dance Company led by Saskia Bakayoko
Wife of band founder Vieux Bakayoko, Saskia has been playing djembe and travelling to Africa for over 8 years.
Originally a drummer, under the tutelage of Vieux, Mamady Keita, Seckou Keita and more, she has taught West African music for over fifteen years. Now a dedicated follower of the Guinean dance …
Vanessa Guevara
Mexican-born Vanessa trained to become a professional dancer and teacher in Mexico. studying Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Physical Education and other forms of dance. At the age of 20, Vanessa was first introduced to African Dance and immediately decided to specialize in this exciting, colorful, form of dance.
This new-found passion for African Dance led Vanessa …
Bex Tindle
Bex is an experienced dancer with a wide ranging knowledge of the pan-African dance styles. Studying Ghanain, Guinean and Senegalese styles for many years, she has chosen to specialise in the Guinean Ballet style.
With a totally infectious energy and lyrical style of movement, she is a fantastic addition to the troupe. In 2011, after …
Aisha Dennis
Aisha started dancing from a young age, studying jazz and tap alongside street dance and hip-hop styles in her youth. Many years later, after attending a drumming class with Vieux, her passion for dance was reborn and so she began classes and workshops in Pan African dance. Learning dances from Southern Africa, Ghana, Ivory …
Jenny Rintoul
Jenny has been involved in Pan-African and African Fusion Dance over the past ten years, having spent time dancing in Ghana and Togo in 2001, followed by training in various styles of West African Dance in the UK. She has been teaching and choreographing for a community dance and drum collective in Bristol since …
Mimi Bior
Born in the UK but of South Sudanese heritage, Mimi Bior studied the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do for many years, but then discovered a love of West African dance in her early teens after attending classes run by the founding members of Ekomé.
Mimi went on to learn from teachers from Ghana, …
