THIOSSANE INSTITUTE, INC. | Presenting and Preserving Traditional Dance, Music and Culture!

Music Director

Abdou Kounta

Music Director of the Thiossane West African Dance Institute

Master drummer, international instructor, renowned musician of traditional West African music. Mr. Kounta mastered the djembe (jim bay) drum during his ten- year reign with the National Ballet du Senegal in West Africa. The ballet traveled extensively, throughout the world as ambassadors of the arts, under the Presidency of Leopold Senghor. Upon coming to the United States, Mr. Kounta and Mr. Assane Konte’ founded and directed the nationally known Kankouran West African Dance Company in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Kounta retired from the company in 1992. He relocated to Columbus, Ohio where he has continued his art form teaching in arenas at community venues, schools, several state universities, state institutions, museums and various conferences. Mr. Kounta’s instruction and cameo performances have included The Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Arizona State University AZ, Winston- Salem Symphony Orchestra, Winston- Salem NC, The Maimouna Keita School of African Dance, NY, Kankouran West African Dance Company, DC and Woodstock NY, Tokyo, Japan, and Negril, Jamaica. Mr. Kounta has successfully instructed the YWCA African Beginnings Dance Program in seven annual concerts. Abdou Kounta is an Artist in Residence with the Ohio Arts Counicl and Adjunct Faculty member at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH .Mr. Kounta’s traditional teaching and presentation is uncompromising in the preservation of traditional West African dance and music. His masterful hand is sought after throughout the US. His philosophy states “if one doesn’t know where he/she’s been, one doesn’t know where he/she is going, however the Arts, can be that direction”

Artistic Director

Suzan Bradford Kounta

Artistic Director of the Thiossane West African Dance Institute

Dancer, instructor, choreographer of traditional West African dance. Mrs. Bradford- Kounta began her dance training at Columbus area cultural arts center at an early age. Her passion for dance radiated during her four years at Norfolk State University, VA, where she served as dance Captain for the university’s dance theater. Upon completing college, Mrs. Bradford-Kounta traveled to Senegal, West Africa to study dance, music and culture. After her return, Mrs. Bradford-Kounta secured a position with the YWCA of Columbus, where she developed, implemented and coordinated an African dance program for youth. During her fifteen years at the YWCA, Mrs. Bradford-Kounta instructed and choreographed a number of in-school and after school programs and has choreographed, directed and produced seven annual concert with the YWCA African Beginnings Children’s Dance Ensemble . Mrs. Bradford-Kounta’s teaching venues have included community centers, several state universities, state institutions, treatment programs, public and private schools, special populations, conferences and local venues such as BalletMet, Chocolate Nutcracker, SAVE Awards and First Night Columbus. Mrs. Bradford-Kounta developed and implemented staff training for Columbus Public School on Intergrating the Arts in the Classroom and has completed training through the Greater Columbus Arts Council, in incorporating the academic standards in its school based arts programs. Bradford- Kounta has been an Adjunct Faculty member at Antioch College for five years and returns bi annually to Senegal West Africa to continue studying the traditions of this art form.