African drummer, composer, dancer, and singer Sidiki Conde is scheduled to perform at Florida State University as part of the Opening Nights series. The event, titled “SIDIKI! The Pulse of Africa,” will take place on Friday, March 6, at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center. A reception will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the performance from 7 to 8 p.m.
Susan Baldino of Arts4All Florida, which is hosting Conde in Tallahassee, commented on his performances: “Sidiki’s performances are exhilarating. His musicianship and verve are second to none, but the real power Sidiki has is the uncanny ability to connect with people of all abilities, to make them smile, to temper their trepidations.”
Conde expressed his perspective on performing and teaching: “When I sing and dance, I am a bright star on the stage, not a dark figure in a wheelchair. When I teach, I help my students transform themselves, too. They become happy, free, lighter and more confident. Their joy comes back to me and assures me that my life has one purpose: to dance and teach.”
Joining Conde will be Abdoulaye Toure, an accomplished African drummer who previously performed with Guinea’s National Ballet Djoliba and now serves as a resident musician for Princeton University’s West African dance classes. Members of Tallahassee’s Ayoka Afrikan Drum and Dance group will also participate in the event. Ayoka aims to make African drumming and dance accessible locally and shares Conde’s belief that these art forms serve as tools for healing and community upliftment.
Conde grew up in Guinea, West Africa. At age 14 he contracted polio: “Coming from school, I fell down and never stood up again,” he said. “Everything was paralyzed. My back, hand, leg. It was polio.” Despite facing stigma related to disability in his community, he adapted by strengthening his upper body and learning to walk and dance using his hands.
His career includes collaborations with notable African musicians such as Youssou N’Dour, Salifa Keita, and Baaba Maal. He served as a soloist and director of choreography for Les Merveilles de Guinea before moving to New York City where he founded the Tokounou All-Abilities Dance and Music Ensemble. This group offers performances and educational programs for diverse audiences including people with disabilities and veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.
Conde’s achievements include being named a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow in 2007; co-founding Afro-Jersey with Terre Roche in 2008; being featured in Alan Govenar’s documentary “You Don’t Need Feet to Dance” (2013); releasing an album titled “Africa in New Orleans” in 2025; and receiving a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship last fall.
The concert is sponsored by Arts4All Florida—a nonprofit focused on making arts accessible—alongside partners including Opening Nights at FSU, the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center, FSU College of Music, The Brady Foundation, University of Choice student organization at FSU, and Marjorie Turnbull.
Admission is free but reservations are required through openingnights.fsu.edu.
