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Diamano Coura West African Dance Company is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to the preservation and education of traditional West African music, dance, theater, and culture. Diamano Coura conducts ongoing workshops, youth programs, lecture demonstrations, community outreach projects, and partnership programs with companies such as the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, San Francisco Ballet, Les Ballets Africaines, and Dimensions Dance Company. Director Zak Diouf has a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from U.C. Berkeley. He has had a distinguished career as a choreographer, performer, teacher, and a researcher of African music, dance, and culture. He has created pieces for organizations such as African-American Dance Ensemble in New York, Dimensions Dance Theater, Harambe Dance Company, Phoenix and San Jose Symphonies. Artistic Director Naomi Diouf has assisted and choreographed works for numerous companies including San Diego Black Repertory Theater, the Dutch Theater Van Oosten in the Netherlands and Belgium, Dimensions Dance Theater in Oakland and Kankouran Dance Company in Washington, D.C. In 1998 and 1999 Naomi collaborated with the San Francisco Ballet in the premiere of Lambarena.