Company History

Kofago's founder Kevin McEwen, has been serving communities in the United States and the global diaspora for over twenty years. The company's dance repertoire pulls heavily from Kevin’s 25-plus years of West African dance experience.

Founded in 2015, Kofago Dance Ensemble began as a social justice project, highlighting police brutality against African American men. The first iteration of the company operated as an all-male ensemble providing dance training in traditional West African dance technique from Senegal and Mali.

The company’s first performance was at the CityDance School and Conservatory (MD, USA) with the Organization of Umfundalai Teachers’ “Dancing Our Africa!” performance. The piece, entitled NAGNOU FECC – The Men Must Dance, explored the Wolof concept of “Nagnou Fecc,” meaning “Men Dance.” In a world where male normalcy and manhood are often shaped by popular and frequently toxic cultural constructs, the company sought to redefine manhood through traditional West African dance techniques rooted in Senegalese practice. Nagnou Fecc also served as an artistic protest against the increased and rampant assault on Black male identity in America.

Kevin would later relocate to New York to attend New York University, where he earned a graduate degree in Dance Education. During this time, he began teaching throughout the New York City area. After the passing of his father in 2018, Kevin revived Kofago in its current form—this time as a dance company addressing both social justice issues and the profound need for healing through the performing arts.

Since 2018, Kofago Dance Ensemble has created innovative works that draw from West African dance traditions and the West Indian influences of Kevin’s Caribbean heritage. The ensemble prepares their performances with a deep traditional foundation. Their repertory includes traditional dances from West Africa, Caribbean dance forms, as well as contemporary works rooted in West African and Caribbean principles of movement, rhythm, and space.

In 2025, Kevin McEwen stepped down as Artistic Director to make way for Bakary Fall, who now leads the company as Artistic Director. This transition marked a new chapter for Kofago, honoring Kevin’s legacy while ushering in Bakary’s vision, experience, and deep cultural knowledge of Senegalese dance traditions. Under his leadership, Kofago continues to expand its artistic reach while remaining grounded in the values of cultural preservation, community engagement, and artistic excellence.