West African dance is bringing rhythm to Pittsburgh’s East End. Kadiatou Conte-Forte is the founder and artistic director of Balafon West African Dance Ensemble.
Known as "Mama Kadiatou" or "Mama K," Conte-Forte said growing up in the Republic of Guinea was tough. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she was raised by her dad in a strict Muslim household. Even though he never supported her dance career, Conte-Forte became a premier dancer in Les Ballets Africains, the national dance company of Guinea.
“If my behind get whipped, I still go to the dance class, when I was sick, I still go to the dance class,” recalled Conte-Forte. “When the rhythm, the music started playing, for some reason, I don’t know, I would move more harder.”
Conte-Forte went on to travel the world; dancing in Russia, France, Japan and Australia. She first settled in the United States in 1985, where she formed her dance company in Washington, D.C. At the time, she was also working as a cleaning woman at a fitness center, making about $7 per hour. It was there she saw an opportunity while watching exercise instructors leading classes.
“I went to my boss, and said, 'I want to dance too. I want to do like that hip-hop lady was doing,'” said Conte-Forte
She taught an African dance class and workshop for three months in exchange for room and board and her wages cleaning the building at night.
“Kadiatou Conte-Forte come to America and don’t even know how to read and write, but I am smart, very smart. You want to call it street smart, yes, I am one of them – I will do whatever it takes,” said Conte-Forte.
After making a name for herself in the D.C. dance scene, she came to Pittsburgh in 2002. She'd been hired as the artistic director for Umoja West African Dance Company, where she served until 2006. That's when she organized Balafon in Pittsburgh. The name "balafon" comes from the African instrument, which is a xylophone made of "dried Shea butter tree wood," according to the group's website.
“I love the city, I love my house, I love my neighbors, and I was ready to create a dance company here,” said Conte-Forte.
She began teaching classes in her home, training dancers as young as 3 years old. Her students say she's known as tough, even on the children.
Sakinah Shaahid’s daughter, Aysiah-Imani Miller, has been dancing with Balafon for nine years. Shaahid said West African dance is helping her daughter become a well-rounded 12-year-old.
“It just made her more confident because she know she can dance. But it’s helping her other areas in terms of how to be a leader and just how to be more – not so shy,” said Shaahid.
Miller has traveled around the country with the ensemble and said West African dance speaks to her.
“It like expresses who I am, and it’s a different type of dance so when people see it, they be like “what’s that” or something. And it’s not like hip-hop or something, it’s different” said Miller.
At 65 years old, Conte-Forte said she doesn't plan to slow down. She has taught African Dance classes at Howard University, George Washington University and Carnegie Mellon University, and received numerous awards and accolades from around the world.
“People want to know when I retire. I cannot say. When the time comes, I will make a big party,” laughed Conte-Forte.
