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Malonga
Casquelourd
We are saddened
to announce that our beloved
Malonga Casquelourd has passed on. Malonga is a Master Drummer, Dancer,
and Kalimba player. He is always present with us in spirit.
We invite you to
view photographs and some of the many tributes to Malonga.
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Borrina
Mapaka
is a dynamic dance teacher and performer currently living
in Paris. His dance and singing classes at the 2001 and February 2002
Workshops were extremely popular. His dance style includes traditional
Congolese, with influences from West African, jazz, and modern dance.
He is a very gifted singer and will teach both dance and singing classes
this year. His CD Borrina
Mapaka
makes use of
his rhythmic mastery and the natural elegance for his personal repertory
of songs.
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Massengo
Constant
has performed
for over fifteen years as a soloist drummer with both the Ballet
National de Jeunesse and the Congolese National Dance Company. He
has toured worldwide and is presently drummer of Fua Dia Congo and
choreographer of Kizingou Dance Company. Massengo is
the founder and Director
of Ballet Maba,a dance company for youth. Massengo currently
teaches drum classes throughout the
Bay Area.
His
CD Massengo
pulses with authentic world beats, combining transcendent drums, kalimba,
bells, xylophone, and vocals. For more information about Massengo,
see his web site.
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Thomas
Boukaka
is
the founder of Bole Bantu, a performing group that plays original
music, and has released an audio tape. . He currently teaches drum classes
in Menlo Park and Philo, CA. |
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Regine
B. N'Dounda
has performed as the
lead dancer for many years with Fua Dia Congo, touring all over
the US. She has taught and inspired many of the dancers who now perform
with this Company. She teaches classes in Palo Alto and Oakland's
Malonga
Casquelourd Centre for the Arts
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Matingou
Tintina
has played and performed
in Paris for fifteen years with Ballet N'Kodia, Ballet Lemba, and
Ballet Quezo. He came to the US in 1982, joined Fua Dia Congo as
a drummer and drums with them throughout the US. |
Mbemba
Pangou
is a master drummer
who has toured Africa and Europe leading both traditional dance troupes
and modern musical and dance bands. He presently teaches drumming in San
Francisco and Mendocino
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Kiazi
Malonga
has grown
up in the world of Congolese Dance and Drumming. Both his parents
are pre-eminent
Congolese performing artists. Kiazi has done a drum apprenticeship
for 12 years. He is presently at Stanford University and teaches drum
class
on the Stanford Campus. Kiazi is lead drummer for the Congolese performing
troupe Ballet Kizingou in Oakland, CA. He is featured on the
CD Massengo.
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Batantou
Ferdinand
joined the National
Dance Company of the Congo as a drummer in 1973. He is one of the
top Congolese drummers in Europe and performs with his enthusiastic and
fiery style. He currently teaches drum in Paris.
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Sandor
Diabankouezi
was choreographer
and lead dancer for 10 years with the Congolese National Dance Company.
He now teaches dance classes in Petaluma, San Francisco, and Bolinas,
CA. |