Dancers get beyond disabilities in special troupev

“People see a handicap when you lose your eyesight or your legs, but true handicaps come only from the mind. The limits we place on ourselves. We can do anything; our community is everywhere. ” Sidiki Conde
The call to sing and dance first came to Sidiki Conde in a dream after losing the use of his legs at the age of 14. From that point, music and dance became his mission.
Today Conde performs the music of West Africa with a depth of gratitude and an immense appreciation for the wonder of life. His gifts and talents span decades and continents and will be displayed in a West Orange performance next month.
In 1986 he founded Message de Espoir — The Message of Hope — a music and dance ensemble featuring other artists with disabilities in Guinea, West Africa. The company toured West Africa seeking to change the perceptions of people with disabilities. In 1988 Conde came to America and settled in New York. A year later he founded Tokounou, a West African music and dance group which chronicles Conde’s unique journey while celebrating the traditional arts of Guinea.
On Oct. 7, Conde and Tokounou will bring their music and inspiration to Temple B’nai Shalom in West Orange, performing as the first of the two-part Wellness, Arts and Enrichment Center’s 2010 Global Beat Series.

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