KanKouran’s mission is to preserve and promote traditional West African culture by providing quality entertainment and educational programs to local and national audiences to facilitate cross-cultural enrichment.
What is our Vision? KanKouran’s immediate future is devoted to establishing an African Cultural Center. The Center will serve as a model to educate the community, to foster a greater understanding of and appreciation for pan-African and cross-cultural artistic cooperative endeavors. Patrons and visitors alike will have the opportunity to learn about African culture and other cultures throughout the African Diaspora by studying dance, music, drum making, language, drama, history, culinary and textile arts, and other aspects of culture. The African Cultural Center will become locally and nationally known as a resource center for studying African cultural arts. KanKouran also envisions expanding the organization beyond its one location and beyond its present company. It intends to accomplish this in two ways: By developing a touring company that will be available for local, national, and international venues; and by establishing satellite studios in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, thus enabling more convenient access to those persons in outlying areas who would like to participate in the many activities and experiences KanKouran offers to the community.
Assane Konte’s awareness of African dance as a universal language has allowed him to reach out to other artistic traditions. As a result, KanKouran has performed with symphony orchestras, chorales, church-based dance groups, tap dance companies, ballet companies, theatrical productions, and other drum and dance companies from around the world. Forty years later, KanKouran continues under the leadership of Artistic Director Assane Konte and is still actively engaged in carrying out its mission. The company remains committed to artistic excellence in all of its performances, presentations, classes, workshops, residencies, and outreach efforts. KanKouran’s reputation as the premier West African Dance Company in the U.S. rests on the shoulders of all those who have given their time, sweat, energy, and support to this organization, and those who continue to do so today.
