Ivory Coast
Founded in 2017 | Located in Abidjan | 75+ Youth Served Weekly
LEAF Ivory Coast focuses on the traditional dances and drum rhythms of West Africa, offering youth a hands-on connection to a cultural heritage that spans generations. Students learn foundational rhythms and movements passed down through West African tradition, building both technical skill and a deep sense of pride in their cultural identity.
Beyond the movements themselves, students dive into the history and meaning behind each dance and rhythm — understanding not just how to perform, but why these traditions matter and what they represent within the broader story of West African culture. This deeper context transforms each class from a technical lesson into a living connection to ancestry, making every performance more powerful and every rhythm carry weight beyond the beat itself.
Meet The Culture Keeper
KRIMBO, whose name means “genius of the drum-speaker,” is a percussionist, dancer, painter, and artistic trainer. His professional aptitude led him to several troupes in Ivory Coast and in the sub-region. With the recruitment of several children, he created his artistic dance company in 2006 to train youth in the art of art in general, dance, percussion, storytelling, singing, and painting. With this need, the KRIMBO Artistic Training Center (CFAK) was born because it was inspired by an expression drawn from the confines of the Akan region. Krimbo demonstrates all his talent as a percussionist and dancer in the Ivory Coast, Europe, and Asia.
Krimbo
“When we think about culture, we think about our mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and beyond. It’s because of them that our culture has been preserved so strongly. They didn’t forget about us and now we must not forget about the youth.”