Sarahn Henderson

Sarahn Henderson was born in Riverside, California. She considers herself a global citizen due to her father's career in the Air Force. She was raised in Honolulu, Hawaii during her teens before moving to Atlanta where she soon graduated from Clark Atlanta University and set root. Her appreciation for African drumming began in the '70's as she reminisces sitting on the lawn at Kiolani Park in Waikiki listening to brothers drumming free style for the public rapping and rhyming like they where the Last Poets.

She is a founding member and the original shekere musician for Giwayen Mata. Her career in the cultural arts began in Atlanta GA. in 1982 where she danced with the African Dance Ensemble directed by the late "King" Farouk and Alani Ogunlade. The company later branched off led by Choreographer and Master Dancer Tetteh Adzaho who formed Sankofa Cultural Dance Company. Sarahn was one of the lead dancers in this Ghanaian, West African ensemble. Although she was one of the original Giwayen Mata founding members, she continued to dance with Sankofa. Upon the closing of Sankofa, Sarahn was invited to return to Giwayen Mata and found her place on stage with her founding and new sisters with her shekere in hand. She has been with the company now for five years, and considers Giwayen Mata HOME. Sarahn performed for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies during the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, GA. She has had experiences taking dance workshops with Internationally acclaimed Master Dancers as they come to Atlanta.

When Sarahn is not with her Giwa sisters or her family, she is usually awaiting the arrival of babies as she serves as one of Atlanta's Community Midwives.

Angelina Camara-Dixon

Angelina began dancing at the tender age of 2 ½. She studied ballet, tap, and jazz from ‘The Art of Dancing,’ in Carson, California. After moving to Atlanta in 1989, she was introduced to African dance and culture as an eager student of Toni Young. She quickly grew fond of this type of dance technique, which included styles from Senegal, West Africa, and quickly gained the title of Dance Captain of Watoto Uhuru (Children of Freedom).

After graduating from high school, Angelina moved to Tallahassee, Florida where she was embraced by The African Caribbean Dance Theatre, under the direction of Marcus & Jevelle Robinson. This is where she learned more styles of African Dance from different parts of the continent, including Guinea and South Africa, and where she also learned Caribbean dance.

After moving back home to Atlanta, Georgia, she danced with the Uhuru Dancers for several years before moving on to dance with Injebulo Leta. Over the years, she has studied African dance from such greats as Youmoussa Souma and the late Kemoko Sano, both from Guinea, West Africa, and Djian Tie from the Ivory Coast.

Her recent endeavors has included being embraced by Giwayen Mata, a powerhouse sister group containing commanding women. Not only is she dancing, she has also found a love for drumming.

Angelina is a current M.B.A candidate and a proud parent of two beautiful girls, At’talla and Mycire and is currently expecting a third child with her new husband.

Lindiwe Famodou

Lindiwe is a 25 year old Detroit native, has been calling Atlanta her home for 6 years. Lindiwe is a graduate of Georgia State University. Currently she is a nanny. She also offers hustle dance classes to adults, and children. She is her mom's only child and much of her inspiration to teach and to dance comes from her mother who is also a dancer and has been a middle school science teacher for 37 years. She also has two spunky little brothers who sit in on rehearsal when they are in town with her father, Karanja and his wife Maru. Lindiwe has been studying dance since the age of 9 when she took her second trip to Dakar, Senegal. Since then she has danced with African Family Ballet of Detroit, MI for 7 years and has been a member of Giwayen Mata since 2003. Over the past few years, she has developed a passion for children and one day hopes to manage her own child development performing arts center.

Olokun Saéousoul

Olokun has been lending her musical talents to GIWAYEN MATA for 9 years. Artistic lifestyle and Africentric Expression imprinted early in her life by way of Duke Ellington High School of the Performing Arts, Washington DC as well as, the proliferation of drum circles that called for response back to rhythmic consciousness. Inspired by the Women Leaders of GIWAYEN MATA and mentoring supporters lends itself to this Contemporary Troubadour. As a part of GIWAYEN MATA experiencing the realities and exploring the possibilities of traditional and contemporary performance drum concepts that serve the dance and sharing in the process of cultural preservation, subsequently making Herstory, have proven tantamount towards the rewards of collective UNITY.

Simultaneously, Olokun is the owner of a “couture” painting company Impressionist Painting specializing in custom residential and commercial décorative design concepts.

Rashida Z. Abdullah

On March 9th, 1975 Rashida was born to Maimouna and Ali Abdullah in Dakar Senegal, West Africa. Her mother and father were both performing artists choreographing major theater productions of moderm, classic, jazz and African persuasion at the Daniel Serano Theater. Rashida’s pre-school years were spent living in urban and rural parts of Senegal. From 1979 to 1981 Rashida lived in Ithaca, NY. Observance of African centered cultures and traditional values persisted within her family. In 1986 she was a member of a family rooted, African dance and creative arts enterprise called the "Maikot Family Theater”. Between the years of 1986 and 1987 Rashida performed with "Maikot” engaging in festive and educational entertainment. In Senegal Rashida co-founded an Afro-hip-hop family dance group, performing until she returned to the US in 1989.

Rashida has attended Bennett College in Greensboro, NC., and plans to continue her education at Georgia State University. Her career goal is to start a private practice in art therapy for troubled persons of all ages.

Amamansa Whitten

Amamansa is a native of Hispaniola, who has participated in the Dance community of Haiti, New York, and Atlanta. Amamansa has studied under Youssouff Koumbassa, Marie Basse, Amadou Mboli, Esther Grant, and Suquan and Souleyman Diop. Amamansa has studied at Konkouran Dance Conference since 1993.

To her credit Amamansa has participated in the 1996 Olympics Opening Ceremonies, Ballethnic’s Leopard Tale (1997), and has danced Reproductions of Broadway Shows. Amamansa served as Assistant Artistic Director for Barefoot Ballet’s Children's Dance Ensemble for three years. Amamansa was a member of Tyson Wayne Reid Dance Company For Modern Jazz, Barefoot Ballet Manya, Morena Caribena. Amamansa is a vocalist, percussionist, dancer, choreographer and costume designer with GIWAYEN MATA.

Sauda (Lee) Jackson(Bey)

Sauda is a professional dancer, choreographer and Cultural Consultant. Ms. Jackson has studied dance, gymnastics, music and voice and has traveled and performed nationally. She is an accomplished self-taught visual and textile artist, specializing in Batik and Shibori techniques. While working for a film company she acquired skills in set design, lighting and production management.

Sauda is a student at Spelman College in the Pauline Drake Scholars program, pursuing a BA in Sociology/Anthropology, with special emphasis on documentary film. She holds certificates in the Fundamentals of Community Organizing, Principles of Community Building, and Working in Diverse Communities from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Institute. She is a nationally certified Group Fitness instructor by NETA.

As an independent dance instructor, she has taught dance in the Atlanta Metro area for 10 years. She has taught Ballet, Tap, Modern, Hip Hop, African, or Creative Movement to more than 200 students in Atlanta Public, private and pre-schools. She’s conducted teacher training and curriculum infusion for dance and music for the Atlanta Black Child Development Association Conference. Through Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University she was a Site Coordinator for a youth drug intervention program, serving over 150 young people in three public housing developments. While there, she planned on-going dance, craft and music workshops, trips and retreats. She managed the daily operation of Project Excellence after school and summer programming and conducted stress control and management workshops for parents. She has served as the Assistant Artistic Director of Manga African Dance Company and is a founding member of Atlanta’s premiere all women dance and percussion company, Giwayen Mata. Through her company MAIA Bey, she received her first grant in 2006 from the Community Foundation and the Atlanta Falcons Grant to teach dance and music workshops in the Vine City Area for their Spring Break Camp and the Mechanicville community.

Her heart of service extends beyond her jobs titles as Sauda continues to give her time to help all around her.

Tambra Harris

Tambra is a native of Oakland, California and a graduate of Georgia State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Exercise Science. She is currently a choreographer, musician, teacher, dancer, and rehearsal director with GIWAYEN MATA as well as a teacher of dance at Charles R. Drew Charter School in Atlanta, GA.

Tambra began her training in contemporary dance at Skyline High School, a distinguished performing arts institution under the tutelage of Dawn James. She continued her training during her college years at Clark Atlanta University as a member of Spelman College Dance Ensemble and Ayoluwa African Dance Company while beginning her professional career with the Harry Bryce African American Dance Theatre. To add to her credits she has studied and performed under the direction of world renowned African and Contemporary dancers such as Abdulaye Camara, Assane Konte, Youssouf Koumbassa, Marie Basse Wiles, Djian Tie, Omelika Kuumba, Kwame Ross, Abdel Salam, Ronald K. Brown, Jawole Zolar, Deborah Vaughn, Dr. Veta Goler, Kenneth Green, Pamelah Maragh and Debbie Allen.

Tambra has enjoyed the opportunities to perform with world renowned artists such as Dionne Farris, Laurnea, Nadira Shakoor, and The SOS Band. She performed in the opening cast of Busch Garden’s Broadway style production “KATONGA” and TLC’s music video “Girl Talk”.

One of Tambra’s artistic goals is to create her own dance style that combines her expertise in contemporary and African dance forms. Tambra believes that dance will save lives by providing fitness, fun, and freedom of mind, body, and spirit.

Tyree Thornton

Tyree was born in Baltimore, Md. and was raised in New York City (Spanish Harlem). She is a single mom of three beautiful and talented children. She has been shaping and molding the minds of young people for 22 years. Tyree has been working with Fulton Co. Board of Education for 9 years as a kindergarten teacher. She received a Masters Degree in Leadership Education from Berne University and a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from Morgan State University. Tyree’s dance training began in Harlem with Baba Olatunji on 125th street when she was a little girl. She performed with Morgan State University’s Dance Ensemble during her college days and later became a member of Sankofa Dance Theater in Baltimore, Maryland. Tyree has been a member of the Dynamic All Sista Ensemble - Giwayen Mata for 9 years. Giwayen Mata has encouraged Tyree to rise to her power in everything that she does. Because of Giwayen Mata Tyree has added drumming to her many talents making her a well rounded performer. “I am so thankful to the Creator for guiding me to where I am today. I Love my Sistas of Giwayen Mata.” Much Love and Enjoy Your Experience With Us!

Nicole Tarrant El

In addition to dancing, drumming, singing and choreographing with GIWAYEN MATA, Nicole works as a Contract Administrator and Property Manager for Hendon Properties, a commercial developer. Her favorite and most important job however, is mommy to Yaa Djené and Kaya – 4 and 2 years old respectively. Nicole also has an M.B.A. with a concentration in Project Management. Nicole has studied with a number of master dancers and drummers: Mouminatou Camara, Moussa Diabate, Youssouf Koumbassa, Mabiba Baegne, Ron Brown and Mamady Keita to name a few and was a member of Ezibu Muntu African Dance Company in Richmond, VA.

Tamerra Jones

In the spirit of Africa, Tamerra Jones has been blessed with many talents. Dance is her first love and she has been nurturing that gift since she was a young child. As a youth she studied ballet, jazz and tap. However, she also was raised in the then emerging ‘hip hop’ culture. Its essence still is evident in her own eclectic dance style. Other influences include Modern, Jazz and African dance. She has been studying African dance consistently for the past two years. Her strongest areas of study within it are Djembe and Sabar. Other styles include Congolese and Kutiro. Along with dance, Ms. Jones has also performed as a singer and looks forward to venturing into theatre. Her soulfulness, passion and creativity permeate all of her endeavors.

TAMECA TUCKER

Tameca is a native of Atlanta, GA. Since 1991, she has studied and performed African dance in Atlanta and New York with the Uhuru Dancers, Harambee Dance Company, Opus Dance Theatre, Bousso Dance Company and a Touch of Folklore and More. Her training includes Djembe, Kutiro, Sabar and Contemporary dance. She currently holds a B.A. in Business Management and an A.A. in Fashion Design. Tameca is a teacher at the Paideia School and at Spelman Children’s Dance Program. She designs clothing and jewelry and has recently learned West African Female Vertical Loom Weaving. Tameca considers herself forever a student dancing for and with all those who came before her.

For 21 years Pamala Nobles has studied the art of movement of dance. From tap to ballet, modern, calypso, reggae, jazz and African, Ms. Nobles continues to express a genuine love for the art. Now a proud graduate of Howard University, she is humbled with the ability to educate herself along with the global community on the rich and vibrant history of African dance. While living life to its fullest potential she upholds the meaning of Nsaa: “to extol excellence and discourage satisfaction with the second rate.”