Youssouf Koumbassa joins Kreative Pandemonium for workshops, concert

Apr 2, 2014
2 min read

Kreative Pandemonium, an African and world music and dance company in St.

Louis, will present Youssouf Koumbassa, one of the world’s most dynamic dancers, this Friday and Saturday.

“All I can say about Youssouf Koumbassa is OH MAN-DING-GO!” says Mama Lisa, a pioneer of African dance in St. Louis and founder of Fundisha Enterprises.

“Youssouf is a dynamic, precise and graceful powerhouse. His charming personality and ambassadorship made me fall in love with Guinea (Youssouf’s homeland). St. Louis will truly enjoy an indescribable treat by experiencing the works of this master artist.”

Koumbassa will partner with Kreative Pandemonium’s musical director Weedie

Braimah, who grew up in an Afrocentric musical family in East St. Louis, to facilitate two days of dance and drum workshops at the Connect Care gymnasium, 5535 Delmar Blvd. A live performance Saturday night at the 14th Street Artist Community (2701 N.14th St.) will feature Youssouf and Kreative Pandemonium’s band.

“We are so excited to have Youssouf here in St. Louis for the very first time ever, along with our very own Weedie,” says Andrea Peoples, co-founder and artistic director of Kreative Pandemonium. “Between Youssouf’s dancing and Weedie’s drumming, the classes and the performance are sure to be awe-inspiring.”

Youssouf Koumbassa was born in Guinea, West Africa but is currently living in New York when he is not traveling to teach across the world. He began dancing at the age of six, and his talents lead him to dance with Ballet Djoliba, of Guinea, and the legendary Les Ballets Africains.

“Youssouf Koumbassa is a phenomenal dancer as well as a master teacher skilled in the technique of breaking down steps, so even the non-dancer can understand and execute the movements,” Weedie Braimah says.

Braimah, 30, was born in Ghana, West Africa and raised in East St. Louis.

Braimah was born into a lineage of extraordinary musicians such as his father, Oscar Sulley Braimah, who is an accomplished Afrobeat musician and composer, and his mother Ann Morris, who is a skilled jazz drummer who performed with James Brown.

Braimah travels nationally and internationally, performing, lecturing and teaching djembe technique. Currently, Braimah is co-founder and musical director of Kreative Pandemonium, an Afrofusion band focused on blending the traditional instrumentations of Africa with funk, rock, blues and jazz.

The 12-piece band is equipped with a five-piece horn section, bass and guitar, and utilizes a traditional four-piece djembe orchestra rather than a drum set. They are the innovators of a unique sound they refer to as “djembe soul.”

Kreative Pandemonium will match their unique blend of Afrofusion music with the dancing stylizations of Koumbassa and KP’s choreographer Andrea Peoples.

Everyone can experience djembe soul first hand Saturday night at a Dununba Party which will feature performances by KP, Youssouf Koumbassa and special guest belly dance ensemble, Tribe Azuka.

Read more: http://www.stlamerican.com/entertainment/living_it/article_267d7f9c-a25a-11e2-8e07-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=image&photo=0