Co-Founders

Matthew and Sherece have been studying, performing, traveling, and teaching together for the past 20 years. They have created a curriculum based on a lifelong journey of learning and passion for the arts and arts in education. Together they facilitate dance and music residencies and perform with some of the most prestigious and influential arts organizations in NYC and the world including The Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, The Ailey School, Alvin Ailey Arts in Education and Community Programs, The Ailey Extension, Ailey Camp, Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble, Children’s Aid, Urban Arts Partnership, Arts Connection, Ballet Hispanico, Delou Africa Dance Ensemble, Concerned African Women, and Hamana Company in Boke, Guinea West Africa

Ibrahima ‘Kolipe’ Camara

Kolipe is a world renowned Djembefola from Guinea West Africa. Since his early days in Conakry playing with Mohamed ‘Momoduba"‘ Camara, and ‘Boka’ Camara, Kolipe went on to start his own company becoming the king of the Guinea Sabar party scene in Conakry. His fame on the streets led him to become the lead soloist for the national performing companies in Guinea. Kolipe performed and toured with Les Merveilles, and Les Ballets Africaines playing Lead Djembe, Balafon, Krin, Dunduns, and Bote. Kolipe lives in New York City and has become one of the countries most exciting and dynamic teachers.

Adewole Love

It is with a heavy heart and many tears that we said goodbye to our best friend and family member Adewole Love this past November 2023. We know he will stay with us from the other side but he will be missed every day until we meet again. Ade Love, Musical Director of the Bamabara Drum and Dance Ensemble, was one of the worlds most prolific drummers and arts educators. He was born in New York City into a family of artists and cultural workers who were paving the way for African Americans passionate about African and Afro-Cuban culture, heritage, and lifestyles. Ade’s parents were both influential in the African Dance community and the Afro-Cuban religious communities of New York. Before the age of ten Ade had become one of the most valuable apprentices to world renowned Oba Oriate Lazaro Companioni (Oshun Gere) and continued to study with him until his passing in 2018.
Ade went on to become a master in both West African Djembe/Dundun drumming, and Afro-Cuban drumming and cultural work. In 2018 Ade became one of the first African American drummers to receive his own set of Añya drums from a highly respected community in Cuba, and become an Ilu Bata. He played and taught Djembe, Dunduns, Congas, Bata, and Lucumi Songs.
Ade was and will always be a valued member of the Alvin Ailey Dance Community since the early age of 16 and accompanied amazing artists such as Judith Jamison, Mikhail Barishnikov, Chuck Davis, and many many more. The world will never be the same without you.

Matthew hill

Matthew began his career in Oberlin College joining a semi-professional dance company Dance Diaspora under the tutelage of Adenike Sharpley(Dancer), Adetobi Jackson(Djembe,Congas, Bata), and Oladipo Michael Oludare(Yoruba Dundun talking drum). By the time Matthew graduated with a BA in African American Studies he had traveled several times to West Africa and to Cuba to study and perform. He went on to further his academic career receiving his MA from FIU in African New World Studies in 2005 and served as an adjunct faculty in his department introducing and teaching a new course entitled “Drums of the African Diaspora: Roots&Routes”. At the same time Matthew became the Musical Director for Delou Africa Dance Ensemble, and one of Miami’s most sought after teaching artists and performers. In 2009 Matthew was invited to join the SEEWE dance company by its director Mouminatou Camara, and has been living, performing, and teaching in the New York area ever since.

Matthew has extensive experience facilitating percussion workshops(where he provides instruments for up to 50 students at a time), conducting large group lecture demonstrations, corporate “break out” sessions, accompanying dance classes and master classes across multiple styles and techniques, performing with live music projects and in clubs with DJ’s(3 year residency at Club MYNT in South Beach), providing music therapy for special needs populations, and choreographing large percussion performances with dance. Matthew has worked with incredible artists and historical figures including Katherine Dunham, Judith Jamison and other Alvin Ailey Artists, Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble, Ballet Hispanico, Chuck Davis, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith, Mouminatou Camara, Teo Castellanos D-Projects, and has performed with countless other bands and dance companies. Matthew is currently living in New York as a teaching and performing artist with the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation including teaching percussion and accompanying dance classes for Alvin Ailey Arts in Education, The Ailey School, and AileyCamp

Sherece hill

Sherece, hailing from Kingston, Jamaica and NYC started her dancing career here in New York City as a middle and high school student. She went on to receive a BA in Theatre and Dance from Oberlin College. While at Oberlin she trained and performed with Dance Diaspora, served as senior class president, the president of SOCA(Students of Caribbean Ancestry) and choreographed for multiple dance organizations and concerts. After graduating Sherece went to Miami Florida and performed for the next two years with Delou Africa Dance Ensemble. Matthew and Sherece traveled to Guinea and The Gambia West Africa for 8 months before moving to NYC. Sherece has studied with numerous West African teachers including, Mouminatou Camara, Yousseff Koumbasa, Alasanna Soumah, Aicha Bangoura, Aisha Kouyate, Miriama Jarju, Mari Bass, Jewel Love, Mohamed DeCosta, and Mamady Sano.

Sherece has been a teaching artist for the past 15 years working with numerous organizations including Arts For Learning, FLAP, CAW, Notes in Motion, PurElements, Dance Theater of Harlem, and has served for the past 8 years as a teaching artist and director for Alvin Ailey and AileyCamp.

David Companioni

Oba Oriate, Ilu Bata, and Akpon, David comes from a prestigious family within the Afro-Cuban cultural community. He has become one of the New York areas most sought after ceremonial singers(akpon), Ilu Bata’s(owner of a set of Añya) and has traveled extensively throughout the US, Cuba, and South and Central America performing Afro-Cuban music.