Byb Chanel Bibene, San Francisco, CA Artistic Director of Kiandanda Dance Theater

Born and raised in the Republic of Congo, Byb Chanel Bibene is a choreographer and artistic director of Kiandanda Dance Theater. His own technical and aesthetic sensibility is rooted in the culture and traditional dances of his country.  As a survivor of the civil wars that tore apart the Congo in the 1990’s, Bibene is creating a theater piece titled, Taboo and Heroes, that explores the subject of victims of war and the lack of freedom of expression due to irresponsible dictatorial powers and the neo-colonial influences of western powers. The point of this project, combining dance, theater, music and video, is intended to lead people to pay more attention to what is going on in the world because a collective effort can help find solutions and lead to a better life on earth, ecologically, socially, politically and humanly.


2013 Festival Weekend One Artist ; AUG 15-18, THU-SUN @8PM

“Taboo and Heroes”

Taboo and Heroes, explores the situation of the wars that struck the Republic of Congo in the late 1990’s in a multimedia performance, featuring modern and traditional dance, interactive video design and live contemporary music. Taboo and Heroes addresses the reality and consequences of violence and corruption through the specific experiences of Byb Chanel Bibene. Bringing together dance and theater performers, an original music score, set design and video elements, the piece aims to transport the audience into the charged atmosphere of conflict that permeated, and still echoes in everyday life in the Republic of Congo. This piece transposes the Congolese environment on stage. Exploring the subject of victims of war and the lack of freedom of expression due to irresponsible dictatorial powers and the neo-colonial influences of western powers, choreographer Bibene, as a survivor of the Congolese war, intends to demonstrate the essence of these dramatic situations of war, which are lived by thousands of people throughout the world. This project is intended to lead people to pay more attention to what is going on in the world because a collective effort can help find solutions and lead to a better life not only in Africa but also in the rest of the world, ecologically, socially, politically and humanly.

Collaborator Biographies 

Krystal Bates

Krystal Bates is an innovative dancer striving to make a difference in the dance community.  Bates has been involved in pieces dealing with life issues such as economic crises, AIDS, gang violence, PTSD, and much more.  While dancing and touring in college, she also was able to do other things like teaching, acting, modeling, and work in corporate America.  Bates’ talents seem endless. Her work as a dancer/choreographer led her to start her own dance company a year ago.   Her main desire is to be an established dancer/choreographer whose work inspires and opens the minds of her viewers.  She wants to achieve this goal by joining a company post graduation and traveling around the world dancing and inspiring.  Bates then wants to do her own business by opening a studio and starting a company that branches off from the studio. She truly believes that art speaks and has the desire for others to value art as vital to our society.

Baindu Conte-Comber

Born in Liberia, Baindu traveled and studied West African and Caribbean Folk dance across Western African and the West Indies before immigrating to the US. She continued her studies in Boston and New York with Pape N’Diaye, Marianne Hackless and Jean Appollon, among others.

In addition to dancing with SF Bay Area locals, Diamano Coura West African Dance Company and Chinyakare Zimbabwean Dance Company and Afrique Sogue Percussion and Dance, Baindu is also the Choreographer and Artistic Director of the Jaara Dance Project a performance arts ensemble that embraces both traditional and contemporary experimental forms of dance from the African Diaspora.

She currently teaches Dancehall/Urban African Dance at Alonzo King Lines Ballet and has served as faculty at Cambridge’s Dance Complex, Boston Public School-Dorchester Charter, and Deerfield Academy Arts Program. Her works have been presented in Boston, New York, Sydney, London and the San Francisco Garage Safe House for the Arts where she’s currently in residence.