African master drummer for Tobago workshop

Bangoura is a member of the National Ballet of Guinea and the lead drummer with Djoliba National Dance Company of Guinea and has worked extensively on the international market holding workshops with organisations such as Kankouran which is the largest West African dance conference in America and Lisangua Ya Bato.

Bangoura is also the musical director of Ballet Bagata and has made many television appearances notably on PBS’ long running children’s show, Sesame Street.

During his stay, the prolific artiste will be the guest tutor at the Tobago Community School for the Arts, which is an initiative of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Division of Community Development and Culture, and the University of the West Indies’ Centre for Creative Arts and Festival.

The school which was officially launched in March is aimed at providing professional training for persons, 15 years and over, in the visual and performing arts in Tobago.

The institution plans to bring at least three foreign lecturers every semester to help students develop their talents into professions.

At the end of each semester, which runs for ten weeks, participants will be given a certificate of participation accredited by the Centre for Creative Arts and Festivals and the THA community development division. Bangoura was also expected to be a special guest at the launch of the 20th Tobago Heritage Festival which took place yesterday.