Idrissa Camara

A portrait of dancer and choreographer Idrissa Camara.

From west Africa to south Wales: Idrissa cuts a distinctive figure as he walks his young child to her Welsh-speaking school in suburban Cardiff. Originally from Guinea, Idrissa moved to the city in 2010 and now lists Welsh next to Susu, Malinke and Wolof among his languages.

Idrissa is a virtuoso dancer and choreographer and has been working to establish his own dance company, Ballet Nimba. He received a bursary to travel back to his native Guinea in order to formally study and document the evolution of dance, music and storytelling there, research which will feed into the next Ballet Nimba production.

This programme follows the progress of this new work interwoven with snapshots from Idrissa's life in Cardiff and his life in Guinea, and the tension between the two.

All music used heard is by Idrissa Camara/Ballet Nimba.

Producer: Martin Williams

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2014.

From west Africa to south Wales: a portrait of dancer and choreographer Idrissa Camara.