Lacina Coulibaly
Born in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Lacina Coulibaly‘s career as a professional dancer is deeply rooted in traditional African dances, which he has merged with contemporary influences to create a unique choreographic expression. As a teenager, he was a member of urban Dodo groups and later joined Les Bourgeons, a traditional dance and theatre company, to explore his tradition. In 1990, he became part of the traditional dance company Kongo Bâ, and three years later, began studying contemporary dance with choreographer Lassann Congo. In 1995, Lacina co-founded Cie Kongo Bâ Teria with Souleymane Badolo and Ousseni Sako. Their creations, including Frères sans stèles (1999), Vin Nem (2001), and Hydou Bye (2004), have toured the world and won international awards. Since 2007, Lacina has conducted performance projects and taught at several universities, including Yale University, Brown University, and New School. His unique blend of traditional and modern influences results in dynamic intellectual and artistic processes that intrigue and inspire young artists and audiences. Apart from his work with Kongo Bâ Teria, he has danced with other international dance companies such as Salia ni Seydou, Faso Danse Theatre, TchéTché, and Urban Bush Women. He’s also collaborated with individual artists Emily Coates (USA), Catherine Young, Wendy Jehlen, Kota Yamakazi, Vanessa Anspaugh, Daria Fain and Nora Chipaumire as assistant choreographer (Dark Swan on Urban Bush Women). Lacina developed Sigini, an analytical approach to West African Dance, which establishes three principles of conceiving, writing, and sculpting the art of making dance. His last choreographic work, “Until the Lion Tells the Story…,” was selected for the Live Feed residency program at New York Live Arts to premiere in the 2023-2024 season. Currently, Lacina is the artistic director of Hakili Sigi and on the faculty at Yale University. He has also been featured in documentary films and performed in various productions, showcasing his unique dance style and artistic vision.
