Over 30 years of African ritual and theatre dance

Born and raised in Ivory Coast, Clément Assémian is a dancer, choreographer, singer and teacher. His people are Agni ('Anyi') within the larger Akan heritage gorup. Music and dance united in Agni rhythm and ritual are considered sacred in their native villages. In the past, only initiates had access to instruments and dances. These days, dance participates in the meeting of cultures, becoming more accessible. 

Train with Clément in Europe or the USA

Clément is available to teach dance workshops in Toulouse and internationally. After 25 years of teaching dance daily throughout the French academic year, always with live drums, Clement is making time to travel. "I open the door to all those who wish to learn about African dance and Akan ancestral culture.” 

Train with Clément and local artists in Ivory Coast

Every year, Clément brings dancers from Europe to train in his home village of Aby, accompanied by live drums. Here, visitors also have the opportunity to learn from local artists of dance-music companies called ballets. Dancers from around the world are welcome to Ivory Coast to experience local rituals, food and music. Clément transmits a range of codes, from the urban Coupé Decalé to the indigenous rhythms of his village of Aby-Samandje on the shores of Aby lagoon.

Internationally trained and experienced

The son of two dancers, Clément followed in his parents’ footsteps. His formal dance training begain in the early 1980s with Marie Rose Guiraud and the Kouame Black Show company. Clément took to the stage in 1985 with Ralph Glendmore of the Alvin Ailey company. Since 2000, the year of his arrival in France, Clément has shared the stage with Hugues Anoi, Niels Robitzky alias Storm, Nathalie "Jazzy Lee" Robitzky, Alex Benth, Max Laure Bourjolly. Clément has enjoyed teaching dance, as well as West African songs and music, since the 1990s in numerous countries: Ivory Coast, France, Germany, Tunisia, and more. 

Since 2016, Clement has established a charitable association to support the schooling of children in his native village – les Amis d’Aby Samandje. Clément's ambition is to establish Conservatory of Akan and Agni dance in his native Ivory Coast, to decolonise education, grow the local culture industry and preserve the rich rhythm culture of his people.