Cirque Kalabanté

About Yamoussa Bangoura

Yamoussa Bangoura's dream was the founding of a school of circus arts and to direct his own multidisciplinary company specializing in the African arts. He first became interested in the Circus Arts as a young man growing up in Conakry Guinea in the 1990’s. He studied the circus performers he saw on European TV and practiced on the beach and dirt around his home. He also studied the Nyamakala tradition of circus, practiced by the Fula people of West Africa, and eventually joined Guinea’s original circus company, Circus Baobob, with whom he toured Africa and Europe.

In the early 2000’s, Yamoussa was recruited to come to Canada with Cirque Eloize, a Montreal-based Canadian cirque company. While in Canada, he also performed with Cirque du Soleil and Cavalia (cirque with horses). In 2007, Yamoussa realized his dream and opened his own company, Kalabanté Productions in Montreal, Canada. They began doing shows in Quebec, and over the years expanded to all of Canada, the USA, and now perform all over the world. In 2018, Kalabanté opened its own studio and school in Montreal, where they offer classes in African dance, cirque, and drumming.