AfricaNashville

Yeli Ensemble is an adaptable troupe of performers led by the Guinean master musician Ibrahima ‘Ibro’ Dioubate. Additionally, he is joined by local musicians and dancers as well as South African gumboots dancer & choreographer Michael Moloi and AfricaNashville co-founder Windship Boyd. The group is available for performances ranging from full length festival concerts to clinic-style lecture demos & workshops at schools, universities, and community centers in Nashville and beyond.

• IBRAHIMA ‘IBRO’ DIOUBATE •
Traditional West African Percussionist
(Guinea Conakry/Senegal)

Featured artist with AfricaNashville’s Yeli Ensemble, Ibrahima ‘Ibro’ Dioubate was raised as a Djeli (also called a griot) , a ‘living archive’ of the West African people’s traditions. He grew up in Conakry, Guinea’s capital city where he learned music from his family and community from birth as his parents had. Djelis are recognized as keepers of knowledge that has been passed down through countless generations. At the age of 14 he toured to Senegal with a troupe and decided to stay, becoming an immigrant at a very young age. Life was very difficult, but he persevered and became one of the finest djembefolas of his generation representing Guinea culture in Senegal. Invited by AfricaNashville in January 2023, Ibro is now based in Nashville. He has performed over 100 shows and participated in over 350 classes since his arrival and now represents Guinea culture in Tennessee. 

• MICHAEL MOLOI •
South African Gumboot Dancer/Choreographer/Artist
(Katlehong/South Africa)

Choreographer, Art Director, Performing Artist and Designer Tumelo Michael Moloi was born in 1981 in the notorious apartheid-era township of Katlehong, south-east of Johannesburg, South Africa. Michael displayed an amazing talent for sports, arts and dance at a very young age. He began his dance career at age 16 as a member of the highly acclaimed South African dance company Via Katlehong. Michael and the dance troupe performed a mix of the street dance forms known as pantsula (South African town dance) and gumboot (mine workers). Other performances include 11 years of performing with the Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, Asher residency and more. He also empowers and engages underserved youth in different communities in the US and around the world. He is currently part of the regular cast for “Shiners”, a recurring music and dance performance at the historic Woolworth Theatre in Nashville. 

• WINDSHIP BOYD • 
Franco-American Dancer/Choreographer/Drummer
(Nashville/Lyon)

Born in France of American parents, Windship grew up in the US. Initially a professional ballet dancer she moved to France where created her company Itchy Feet. She was the choreographer in residence in her city Vaulx en Velin and choreographed for Lyon’s Biennale de la Danse for 7 seasons. During her time in France, she also worked extensively in West Africa.  Since she received a grant from UNESCO in 2004, she has toured, taught, choreographed and learned dances in Senegal, Burkina Faso and Guinea. Back in Nashville, she continues to exchange, create works and take people over to West Africa to discover dance and music. She co-founded AfricaNashville with the saxophone player Jeff Coffin. Today she manages the company, teaches and performs with them.

Percussion workshops, as well as individual or group West African percussion & dance lessons
are available by contacting AfricaNashville@gmail.com.