Afua Kouyaté is the Executive Director of ADEFUA Cultural Education Workshop (ADEFUA), a non-profit organization, and the CEO of the New incoming African Cultural Arts Center (ACAC). Afua is a Producer, Teaching, Performing Artist of West African dance, specializing in cultural arts leadership, emphasizing therapeutic engagement (a holistic approach for inclusive interactions). Afua Co-Chairs The Rainier Valley Creative District, A State Certified Program of The Washington State Arts Commission and endorsed by the City of Seattle. Afua is viewed as one of Seattle’s treasures, a leader in the cultural arts sector, and dedicated to the community.

Afua Koyate

Dan Schmitt is a retired grant-writer who is returning to his first love - music. Dan studied Afro-Cuban and Brazilian percussion in Seattle with Gary Harding for 13 years and performed as a member of Gary’s group Batucada Yemanja do Pacifico for much of that time. Dan provided his percussion, bass, vocals, and arranging skills to the award-winning rock group for kids, Tickle Tune Typhoon, off and on for 35 years and plays bass with the Caribbean steel-pan group, Dingolay on 1st Saturdays at Pam’s Kitchen in Seattle’s Wallingford district. Dan served as SWPS’ president for over 10 years and has been the organization’s treasurer for the last 2 years. Dan facilitates SWPS’ monthly 1st Thursday Drum Circles at Journey Church in Seattle’s Lake City neighborhood.

Dan Schmidt

Lansing Scott has been playing in drum circles around Pacific Cascadia since the late 1970s and has studied traditional West African Mande rhythms since the mid-1990s, studying with African teachers from Guinea, Senegal, and Mali. Lansing has been leading drum circles at Folklife for many years and aims to be a bridge between drum-circle culture and W. African traditions. He offers beginning lessons on djembe and dun dun technique and traditional rhythms.

Lansing Scott

Anu Samrat is a multi-faceted dancer, choreographer and teacher in multiple Indian classical dance styles (Bharatanatyam & Mohiniyattam), singer (Carnatic & Dhrupad); life-long learner with a passion for art forms. She has produced a duet recital “Shivah Shivaa”, composing portions of the music and choreographing it with dancer Vinod Menon. They presented this at various cities in the USA and in Berlin, Germany. She has also produced a recital “Aikyam”, weaving together all 8 classical dance forms of India. This was presented at the Seattle center in March 2026. She runs her dance school Alapadma in the area and has presented yearly student showcases, debut recitals, guest artist recitals & lecture-demonstrations.

Anu Samrat

Jeff Fenbert is an aspiring drummer and drum circle facilitator. He facilitates drum circles at a retirement facility, working with Independent, Assisted Living and Memory Care communities, in addition to a community drum circle in Shoreline. He has completed training through Village Music Circles and Rhythm to Recovery. He began drumming regularly in 2022 and started studying with multiple instructors in the Seattle area.

Jeff Fenbert

Tor Dietrichson is a percussionist, composer, bandleader, vocalist, music educator and nationally recognized recording artist with over 50 years of experience specializing in Afro Cuban conga and Indian tabla drums. Starting out as a student of tabla master Zakir Hussain and his father Allah Rakha he joined an all percussion band Diga led by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and Zakir Hussain in 1974. He gained a lot experience in both Latin Jazz and Indian classical music in The Bay Area and relocated to his home in Seattle in 1982. Releasing his album Global Village in 1987 worldwide which charted high nationally he has since gone on to lead numerous bands in Seattle including his own Salsa/Latin Jazz band Mambo Cadillac. He stays busy performing with many different bands in the Northwest as a Latin percussionist but also sings Blues and performs with Rock bands as well.

Tor Dietrichson