Community Arts Partner

Participant Details

Community Arts Partner Name

Sumayya Diop

Partner Type

Individual

Profile Photo

Individual Bio or
Organizational Statement

Sumayya E. Diop is a performance and teaching artist who specializes in African Diaspora Culture & Folkloric dance, song/chant, and drum. Sumayya is known both locally and nationally  for her vibrant, confident, and grounded style of choreography and performance. She has lived in Boston and New York, and Los Angeles, where she studied and performed professionally as a dancer with  The Music Center on Tour, Debbie Allen, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, amongst others. In Seattle since 1993, Sumayya has worked as a professional teaching artist with Arts Corps, Spectrum Dance Theater, Centrum Arts and Creative Education, The Power of Hope, and The Nature Consortium.   As an actress, Sumayya has performed professionally  in “Crumbs from the Table of Joy”, under the direction of Valerie Curtis Newton. “For Colored Girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enough” under the direction of Dr. Tawnya Pettiford Wates, and has toured state wide performing a one woman show in “The Right To Dream” under the direction of Living Voices. Sumayya has also worked with UW School of Drama, in a number of productions such as “MacBeth” directed by Justin Emeka. Sumayya attended Cornish College of the Arts, majoring in dance and also worked as Associate Director of Youth Services for the YWCA of Seattle from 2007-2012, where she implemented an arts curriculum for the GirlsFirst program serving girls in 9-12th grades. Sumayya continues to travel, study, teach and perform, and is currently working on a African Youth Folkloric Performance Art Ensemble.