Modern, Post Modern, Diaspora

A conversation about contemporary movement and dance on the African Continent & Diaspora with Kôdrô Aoussou Evry, Byb Chanel Bibene, Mufutau Yusuf and Shafiki Sseggayi. Moderated by Black Choreographers Festival director and choreographer, Kendra Kimbrough Barnes & SFIAF Co-Producer, Delina Brooks.

Artist Biographies

Byb Chanel Bibene

Byb Chanel Bibene is a dance educator, choreographer and performer working in theater, ethnic, Afro urban, and contemporary dance forms. His own technical and aesthetic sensibility is rooted in the culture and dances of his country of origin, the Republic of Congo. He has toured the world and performed internationally with companies and choreographers originating from Africa, Europe, and the USA.

Artistic Director of Kiandanda Dance Theater, Bibene founded Mbongui Square festival, a multidisciplinary arts festival that gathers dance, music, spoken word and visual artists from the Bay Area and across the world.

Kôdrô Aoussou Evry

Kôdrô Aoussou Evry is a dancer, performer, creator, and choreographer. She is a graduate of Germaine Acogny’s École des Sables, having completed three years of training in pedagogy, choreography, and transmission (TGA). Her professional experience and constant desire to share enable her to teach traditional dances of West Africa, Afro-modern dance, and contemporary dance. A passionate choreographer, she is deeply committed to the transmission of art, with the greatest respect for the cultures from which she comes and, of course, for the students who patiently devote themselves to learning. 

Mufutau Yusuf

Mufutau is a Nigeria-born Irish choreographer, performer, teacher, and curator based between Ireland and Brussels. A graduate of Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance, Mufutau is a dancer with Wim Vandekeybus/Ultima Vez in Belgium and in Ireland with Liz Roche Company and John Scott’s Irish Modern Dance Theatre. As a performer, Mufutau has worked with Emma Martin/United Fall, Catherine Young Dance, Pan Pan Theatre, Anton Lackhy, Ricardo Ambrozio, Ian Kaler, to name a few. Mufutau debuted his first full evening work in 2022, titled ‘Òwe’, which premiered in New York and subsequently at Dublin Fringe Festival and various other venues and festivals across Ireland and Europe. His most recent work ‘Impasse’ premiered at the Dublin Dance Festival 2024. Mufutau is a resident choreographer with Luail, Ireland’s national dance company, an associate artist with Solstice Arts Centre and Liz Roche Company, and a recipient of the Irish Arts Council Dance Bursary award 2020 and Project Award 2022 and 2023. His passion for improvisation and sharing has bought him to share his teaching practice to various platforms, festivals, and institutions such as Tipperary International Dance Festival, University of Limerick, the American University in Washington, among others. Mufutau is also a co-cutor of ‘TW1’ (Train With One), a bimonthly workshop platform which aims to bridge the gap between the Irish contemporary dance scene with that of continental Europe.

Shafiki Sseggayi

Born in a small Ugandan village, Shafiki Sseggayi is a dynamic dancer and choreographer whose artistry bridges African tradition and global contemporary dance. Immersed in traditional Ugandan music from a young age, his journey took a pivotal turn at 15 when he moved to Kampala, discovering African contemporary dance a medium that unlocked his expressive power, energy, and profound devotion to storytelling through movement.

Shafiki’s pursuit of excellence led him to the Amsterdam University of the Arts, where he graduated in 2013 with a degree in Urban Contemporary Dance. His training fused technical precision with raw emotion, setting the stage for an international career.
From 2014 to 2020, he served as a principal dancer of Johannes Wieland Dance Company at Germany’s Staatstheater Kassel.

His collaborations with icons like Wim Vandekeybus (Ultima Vez) and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui highlight his versatility and cross-cultural appeal.

His choreographic work, deeply rooted in Ugandan culture, has been showcased through renowned ensembles like Mutumizi Dance Theatre , Keiga Dance Company and Latin Flavour Uganda reflecting his mastery as both performer and visionary creator.
Since 2020, Shafiki has continued to innovate with Tanz Kassel under Thorsten Teubl, while crafting commissioned works for global artists and mentoring emerging talent.
A cultural ambassador, he bridges continents through movement, championing African authenticity and inspiring a new generation to explore the universal language of dance.