At 43 Years Old, KanKouran Positions Next Generation to Preserve African Dance and Culture

September 9, 2026

The KanKouran Dance Company celebrated its 43rd anniversary with a concert at Howard University's Cramton Auditorium, featuring nearly 80 dancers and drummers representing four generations of participants performing West African cultural traditions. Founded in 1983 by Assane Konte and Abdou Kounta, the organization has provided thousands of classes and performances while maintaining strong intergenerational connections among its members. The concert, titled "Sunugaal: Our Boat," drew parallels between KanKouran's multigenerational community and historical Senegalese kingdoms that united for common purpose, taking audiences on a metaphorical journey through various West African cultures.

Who is affected

Lyric Hunte (Duke Ellington School of the Arts student and fourth-generation KanKouran dancer)
Antonio Vargas (Columbia Heights Education Campus senior and drummer)
Assane Konte (co-founder and executive artistic director)
Veronica Hunte (longtime youth dance instructor and Lyric's grandmother)
Desepe de Vargas (Antonio's mother, Liberian mixed-media artist, and former DESA principal)
Sue Ann Forde (artistic director)
Papa Assane M'Baye (musical director)
Nearly 80 dancers and drummers who performed
Hundreds of audience members at Cramton Auditorium
Nearly two dozen participants from community classes
Conference participants at the Washington Marriott Capitol Hill (Sept. 4-6)
800,000 dance class participants over 40+ years
More than 11 million young people who attended school performances

What action is being taken

KanKouran is hosting youth drumming and dance classes at Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, Maryland this fall
Young performers like Lyric are mentoring younger dancers during rehearsals
The dance company is conducting community classes throughout the year

Why it matters

KanKouran represents a vital cultural institution preserving and transmitting West African heritage across multiple generations in the D.C. area. The organization provides young people like Lyric and Antonio with discipline, artistic skills, cultural connection, and leadership opportunities that extend beyond dance into their broader lives and education. For families, particularly those of African and Caribbean descent, KanKouran offers a tangible connection to West African heritage and creates an inclusive community space rooted in traditional cultural expressions. The dance company's longevity and multigenerational participation demonstrates the sustained need for and value of African cultural education, though the lack of a permanent facility after 43 years highlights ongoing challenges for such institutions to establish lasting infrastructure.

What's next

KanKouran will host youth drumming and dance classes at Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, Maryland this fall
Konte is working toward establishing a permanent school building dedicated to African dance culture before his death

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer