Djely Moussa Diabate
Griot Choreographer Dancer Drummer Balafon Player
omdiabate@msn.com 214-766-4877

Djely Moussa Diabate is a Griot from the great lineage of the "Diabate Family"

His Masters

El Hadj Komba Ansou Diabate, (father): from 1945 to 1984: Chief of the Griots of the Mandingo and Soso region of Guinea and of the Capital Conakry; Composer of the "National Anthem of Guinea"; Founder and member of the first National Instrumental Ensemble, "the Great Griot of Guinea".
Fatou Bangoura (mother): Founder dancer with Fodeba Keita's "Les Ballets Africanis", National Ballet of Guinea
Kemoko Sano director and choreographer of "Les Ballets Africanis" and "Ballet Djoliba Nationales Ensembles of Guinea" Co director of "Nationals Ballets of Senegal (Linquere Ballets Silimbo) of Senegal."
Djely Sory Kouyate Great Uncle Balafon player with National instrumental Ensemble of Guinea (world Music)
Sekouba Westero" Director of "National Instrumental Ensemble" of Guinea.
Koumbassa Abdoulaye" General Director of “Ballet Djoliba"

Professional Training

1990- 1994 Troupe Federal de, Conakry III- National Ballet, directed by Sekouba Westero,
Guinea
1987- 1990 "Ballet Djoliba" – National Ballet, directed by Frankis Magloire Camara, Guinea.
1984- 1987 "Ballet Silimbo" – National Theatre of Dakar, directed by Lansana Dioubate Fatou N`Diaye, Senegal.
1977- 1983 "Konkoure Bamba" – Troupe Federal de Conakry II – National Ballet, directed by Karamoko Sekouba Camara, Guinea.

Choreographic Experience

1999- 2007 Booker T Washington, High school for the performing and visual arts.
1999- the present-  Unity Community African Dance Ensemble of Camden, NJ
1998 Khamisi Dance and Drum Company, Cincinnati, OH
1996 UCLA Pan African Film Festival opening, as choreographer, Los Angeles, CA
1985- 1988 Theatre National, Ballet Silimbo, "Fangama" Directed by Lansana Diabate, as choreographer, Dakar, Senegal.
1995 New York Public Theatre, "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk", directed by Savian Glover, Produced by George C. Wolfe, as assistant choreographer. New York, NY

Selected U.S. Appearances

1999 23rd Season Anniversary, Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Dallas, TX
The Animal Kingdon and Epcot Center, Orlando FL
1998 Ethnic Dance Award, Hostos Center for the Arts, Bronx, NY
1998 Black Academy of Arts and Letters in "The Africans", Dallas, TX
1997 Brooklyn Academy of Music in "Geography", New York, NY directed by Ralph Lemon and produced byYale Repertory Theatre and 651, An Arts Center at BAM as dancer, drummer and singer.
Yale Repertory Theatre in "Geography", New Haven, CN.
The University of Texas, Performing Art Center in "Geography", Austin, TX
Duke University, Institute of the Arts in "Geography", Durham, NC
State Theatre in "Geography", Minneapolis, MN
1995 Delacorte Theatre in "The Tempest" featuring Patrick Stewart, directed by George C. Wolfe for the New York Shakespeare Festival, produced by New York Public Theatre as drummer, New York, NY
Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway in "The Tempest", New York, NY
Symphony Space in "Dankarafule 1995" a tribute to Papa Ladji Camera presented by Kewula Kamara, as drummer, New York, NY.

International Appearances

2007 Toronto International Association of Black in Dance
1996 Tokyo, Japan, Session Theatre in "A Dream" directed by Kaoru Imeda, produced by Wongai, as choreographer and drummer
Okinawa, Japan, Okinawa City Center in "A Dream".
Miyako Island, Japan, Hirara City Center in "A Dream".
Fukuoka Island, Japan, Ohnojou City Center and Yukuhashi City Center in "A Dream".
1991 Conakry, Guinea with "Konkoure Bamba" for the Centennial of the City of Conakry, as dancer.
1989 Paris, France, "International Parade of the Champs Elysees - Bicentennial of the French Revolution", with "Ballet Djoliba" produced by Jacques Lang, Ministre de la Culture, as dancer.
1988 Bissau, Guinea Bissau. "Independence Day Ceremonie", with "Troupe Federale de Conakry ll", Official Ceremony for Independence Day, as dancer.
1984-1987 Dakar, Senegal, with "Silimbo". Celebration of yearly championship for Paris-Dakar Motorcycle Rally, as dancer.

Djely Moussa Diabate has also performed as a Griot, dancer, drummer and balafon player in traditional ceremonies throughout West Africa.

Teaching Experience

1999-2007
Dallas, Texas  Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Art.

1997-1999
New York, NY, Abizaid Arts Studio - Dance
Ethnic Dance Award, Bronx, New York, Hostos Center for the Arts
Diabate Tour - Dundunba Festival, Republic of Guinea, 3 weeks intensive Dance and Drum workshop
Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Dallas, TX, Dance
Yale School of Drama, New Haven, Conn, Dance
Community Center, Lexington, New York, Dance and West African Mythology
Dance Complex, Boston, Mass, Dance
Hirara City Center, Myako Island, Japan, Dance
Dance Academy, Los Angeles. CA, Dance
Dance West, Boulder, Colo, Dance West African Mythology
Diabate Tour, Republic of Guinea, Dance, Drum and West African Mythology
Duke University, Durham, NC, Dance
Wellness Center, Minneapolis, Minn, Dance and Drum
El Puente Academy, Brooklyn, NY, Lecture and Dance demonstration

Recordings, Radio, TV Appearances

2006 PBS Barney and friends with Booker T Washington High School - Barney Went to Kenya, with African Dance Ensemble of BTWHSVAP

CD "Fore Fote" Mohamed Lamine Dibo Camara, Chorus- drummer
CD "The Tempest" for WCBS, drummer
Sound track for the movie "Congo" Directed by Frank Marshall, drummer
CD "Wali" for M'Bembe Bangoura, drummer
Radio and Television of Guinea with "Konkoure Bamba", Guinea 1991, interview, dancer
"RTG" with African Style de Guinea, Guinea 1991, dancer
Antenne 2 with "Djoliba" France 1989, dancer
Radio and Television, with Wongai, Japan 1996, dancer
Austin Radio, Austin TX, interview, singer, for "Geography"
Good Morning Texas, channel 8 "Juneteenth" 2007

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