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CHEFIATOU TOKOU

Chefiatou Tokou is a well-known dancer and choreographer originally from Togo in West Africa and currently based in Massachusetts. She is the founder of SIMDACA ( Simba African Dance Academy) and the initiator of SIMDACA MOOV ( Fusion of Cultural, Modern, Urban and Traditional African Dance)
She began her professional dance educator career over a decade ago, focusing on teaching contemporary and modern African dance. Some of her recent workshops: Hartford Performs, Abolition Day in Mansfield with the Black Doll Musuem, Town of Attleboro Juneteenth, Town of Walpole Juneteenth, classes at Elite Dance Studio (Foxboro), Bridgewater Middle School, Brockton Library, St Martin School (Hingham),Taunton High School, Taunton Library, Shebreathes Studio (Walpole), MMAS (Mansfield) ,TEC School (Walpole), Latinos Women Association, Rockland corporate meeting (Fuller Craft Museum), Brockton TV, The Road to Diversity and Understanding, Mansfield.


Artist Statement:

My background gives me the experience of what works and what doesn't. Working in unfamiliar communities, the senior communities, LGBT community I have the advantage to connect with them. My life experience brings me relevance to all, my life experience is my leadership skill.

My culture, background and life experiences.As a an African woman, an immigrant, I come from a community of "disadvantage" people and have overcome many of the obstacles that tend to hold people back and I would offer the same opportunity to those who are aspiring to their own goal.

Project Description:

I am requesting the grant in order to conduct a series of professionally taught, mental health-centered African dance workshops in 2022. These workshops will be open to all interested participants of all experience levels. The need for these classes is significant. Many of us, children and adults, face daily challenges that bring stress. Problems in society including division and mistrust also abound. In a traditional African village people face these same factors, and in response, they call upon dance and employ it to help overcome negative emotions. More than mere entertainment, dance builds one’s confidence, helps one express things words cannot, provides a physical outlet for tension in the body, and provides an opportunity to unify diverse groups through a shared experience. These workshops will provide people with all of these great mental health benefits of dance right from the start in a peaceful, non-competitive, educational environmental. Participants will be introduced to the originality and art of African dance through specific dance steps with origins from West, Central, South and East Africa. They will work together and support each other. They will be introduced to the Classes rhythmic music that accompanies the dance and has its own comforting and healing power.

My background give me the experience of what works and what doesn't. Working in unfamiliar communities, the senior communities, LGBT community I have the advantage to connect with them. My life experience brings me relevance to all, my life experience is my leadership skill.