About Us

We are committed to sharing the vibrant cultural traditions of West Africa through performances and education. Our public programming includes: K-12 interactive school shows; educational workshops; festival appearances; public performances; programming for parties, receptions galas, and a host of special events. In the Su Su language of Guinea, Lannaya means “confidence.” It’s what we seek to express in our work and instill in audiences through a variety of programming suitable for small/large audiences, and diverse facilities, including:

Rhythm & Movement of West Africa! interactive on-campus school show for grades K-12. 

Residency (2-week minimum) drum/dance intensives.

African Diasporic Drum/Dance Workshops, technique and community building.

Drum/dance performances of traditional and innovative African diasporic rhythms.

Since 2008, we’ve performed statewide for Texans in their own communities, via selection in the highly competitive Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA)’s Touring Artist Roster. Grants from the TCA could cover up to 50% of Lannaya’s total fee! TCA’s Arts Respond Performance Support grants provide support to nonprofit organizations in Texas interested in booking Lannaya and other artists from the TCA Touring Artist Roster. This means that these grants are open to schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations to apply for grants to hire artists like Lannaya. Support is based on TCA’s available funds. Contact us to learn more!

A selection of our arts partners, some Austin and Central Texas venues we’ve performed in, and a few festivals are detailed in the next few sections below.

Community Partners

• Arts for Rural Texas
• Austin Friends of Traditional Music
• Austin Independent School District
• Austin Samba (also known as the Acadêmicos da Ópera)
• Austin School of Film/Motion Media Arts Center
• Children in Nature’s Workshop
• Creative Action 
• Dance Africa Fest
• Dovie’s Divine
• George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center
• Lucky Chaos 
• Westbank Libraries
• 50+ artist collaboration with Tapestry Dance Company, Roy Lozano Ballet Folklorico de Texas, The Irish Dance Center of Austin and San Antonio, Anuradha Naimpally, The Love of China School of Dance, Zein Al-Jundi & The Bint El Balad Bellydance Ensemble.