Today we’d like to introduce you to N.K. Condua.
N.K., can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Well, my full name is Nana Kofi Condua. I grew up here in metro Atlanta and attended Lovejoy High School in Clayton County. I received my B.A. in English from Morehouse College in 2015 and am currently finishing my M.A. in English at Clark Atlanta University. I come from a pretty large Ghanaian family and my mother, siblings, and close friends have continuously supported me in anything that I have taken on. That’s my background, in a nutshell.
As far as dancing is concerned, I started dancing in high school and got a chance to take classes here and there, but I didn’t start dancing consistently until I was in college. Personally, I have always wanted to create a creative space where people could learn about various cultures within the African diaspora, but I wanted it to be as meaningful as possible. Creating the Adinkra African Dance Theatre was a direct result of me connecting my knowledge and my artistry. I’ve learned so much in dance spaces and in academic spaces and starting my own dance company really allowed me to combine the two.
Has it been a smooth road?
My journey up until this point has not been very smooth, but I can confidently say that everything along the way was necessary. As someone who takes dance classes consistently, it’s easy to look around a room and notice others who have certain skills and abilities that I don’t.
At one point, I used to beat myself up in classes and workshops and not even get the training I paid for. Along the way, I have learned that class is a space for every person attending to learn and I too have skills that others don’t. That’s one of the beautiful things about dance. There’s always an opportunity for growth and to be challenged. I have had to take this mindset into starting my own company.
I still teach middle school English full time, coach the Ebony Flame dance team at Banneker High School, and am working on my master’s thesis. Some days, I just want to sleep the day away and not be overwhelmed with my multiple responsibilities, but a large amount of what I do is not just for me, but for the people around me.
I honestly believe that we are placed on this earth for a specific purpose, and these are the things that make me feel like I’m fulfilling mine. I’ve run into people along the way who were not supportive of me, my work, or my vision, but it’s important to remain steadfast when working toward any aspiration.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Adinkra African Dance Theatre is a dance company that uses oral tradition and creative movement to tell the stories of all people within the African diaspora. There is a cultural and spiritual connection that exists between Black people around the world. There are many things that are similar about the various cultures across the diaspora, and many people do not recognize how connected we are as a result of not being educated on the subject matter.
My company uses the art of storytelling and a combination of various genres of dance to celebrate various cultures within the diaspora, but also to address issues of social justice that often go unaddressed in our own communities.
Considering that my company is very new, I am very proud of the performances we have been able to book so early in our existence. I am even more proud of my dancers who come with a willingness to learn and work consistently but be creatives in their own right. It’s a humbling experience to be able to teach others but to also learn from them. That kind of environment is exactly what I wanted to see in my own company.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think Atlanta is the perfect place for the Adinkra African Dance Theatre. Given the topics we seek to address in our artistry, there are large groups of people within the metro Atlanta area that would benefit greatly from seeing us perform. We are not a company that focuses simply on artistry, although that is extremely important, but also a company that encourages learning. In a city that is full of such diversity, there’s no other place I want to call home for the Adinkra African Dance Theatre.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @adinkradance
Image Credit:
Alex D. Rogers
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