The Yeli Ensemble, AfricaNashville, & Windship Boyd

Timbuktu Within

April 14 & 15 at 8PM

Tickets from $20

“A defining cultural and musical moment for Music City”

— Jeff Coffin, Grammy-Winning Saxophonist

Celebrating the tradition of the West African jeli or griot, the talented Yeli Ensemble from Guinea-Conakry presents a powerful evening of dance, drumming, and storytelling in collaboration with dynamic local artists led by Windship Boyd, Christophe Konkobo, Karen Roberts, and Saul Rodriguez.

Griots are lively storytellers and the keepers of tradition, and Timbuktu Within showcases the talents of international artists Mohamed “Dho” Cisse, Sory Diabate, and Ibrahima Dioubate alongside the vivid poem “Inside Timbuktu” by Liberian poet Lekpele M. Nyamalon.

WAITLIST & STANDING ROOM INFORMATION

This event is expected to sell out. Once advanced tickets are gone, guests may join a waitlist for seats or standing room tickets — in-person only, starting 1 hour before each performance. Here are the details:

Beginning at 7PM on Friday and Saturday, guests can sign up for a wait list at the door.
Any tickets released at the door will be sold to the waitlist.
Waitlisted guests may opt to purchase a standing room ticket if no seats become available.
Seated tickets and standing room tickets are the same price: $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday.

CAST

The Yeli Ensemble (Guinea)
Mohamed “Dho” Cisse, Ibrahima Diabate, Sory Diabate

Local Performers
Windship Boyd
Zakiya Boyd
Jaacalyn Davis
Richard Harrison
Kori Holland
Thea Jones
Amatullah ‘Lala’ Majeed
Hadiyah Mason
Mwikali Mutuku
Karen Roberts
Saul Rodriguez
Opanike Shelton
Nicole Zalenski

FREE! West African Dance Masterclass

Saturday, April 15 11AM – Noon

Hadley Park Community Center Gym
(1037 28th Ave N)

Get moving with members of the Yeli Ensemble in a FREE West African dance masterclass for all experience levels! Expect to be enveloped by the sound of the drum and challenged by the languages of culturally rich dance.

About the Yeli Ensemble

A Yeli (also called djeli or griot) is a “living archive” of the African people’s traditions. Visiting Nashville for a series of performance engagements and workshops in Spring 2023, The Yeli Ensemble is comprised of masterful West African percussionists Mohamed “Dho” Cisse, Sory Diabate, and Ibrahima Dioubate. Each member of the ensemble — largely rooted in Guinea-Conakry — grew up learning traditional music and dance from their parents and elders, and are recognized as storytellers and keepers of knowledge passed down through countless generations.

Before and after their performances at OZ Arts, members of the Yeli Ensemble will engage hundreds of dancers and students throughout Middle Tennessee in learning opportunities about West African dance and drumming traditions.

The Yeli Ensemble’s visit to Tennessee is made possible by AfricaNashville, an initiative started by dancer/choreographer Windship Boyd and saxophonist Jeff Coffin.