About us

Created in 2005 and based in London, Zamble African Dance Company works with people all over the UK and beyond. The heartland of the company is a repertoire of the regional dances of the Ivory Coast. Comprising some 60 distinct ethnic groups, the Ivory Coast boasts one of the most varied and dynamic traditional dance cultures in West Africa.

In addition, by virtue of his long and varied experience over more than 25 years, Gaspard Zamble, the company’s founder and Artistic Director, is able to teach and share with others a repertoire of traditional dances from all over the African continent, and also fuse contemporary and other cultural influences with his own dance heritage to produce new and exciting performance work.

Gaspard works with a small ensemble of dance and drumming professionals, steeped in West African arts heritage, each experienced performers in their own right and experienced in sharing and teaching their arts with European audiences, young and old.

About Gaspard

Gaspard Zamble, the company’s founder and Artistic Director, is a highly skilled dance practitioner with over 25 years’ professional experience teaching, choreographing and performing traditional African dance.

Gaspard grew up in Zrabisseifla, a village in Central West Ivory Coast, famous for the masked dance called Zaouli. Gaspard is an accomplished exponent of Zaouli, and his expertise led to being invited to join the National Ballet of Cote d’Ivoire, with whom he worked and toured internationally for 10 years in his early career.

In 1992, Gaspard came to the UK, where his performances proved a revelation to British audiences. The high-octane virtuosity of Ivoirian dance, especially that of the Gouro people from which Gaspard hails, was unlike anything seen in the UK before. As a result, Gaspard came to the attention of Adzido Pan African Dance Company, first as a guest choreographer and then as a full company member touring, teaching and performing for three years. 

In 1999, Gaspard decided to pursue his own interests and ideas as an independent dance professional, working in a variety of settings and further expanding his experience through collaboration with parade and performance groups from diverse dance traditions, before forming Zamble African Dance Company in 2005. Gaspard and his team continue to enjoy bringing African arts experiences to children, adults and the public all around the UK.

Career highlights to date include the following:

Ten years with the National Ballet of Cote d’Ivoire 

Three years as member of Adzido Pan African Dance Company (based in London)

Performed at WOMAD Festival and MOBO Awards

Performer at Millennium Dome Opening Ceremony in 2000

Ran open access adult dance class at The Place London successfully for over 5 years 

Choreographed and led dancers in St Patrick’s Day Parade, Notting Hill Carnival and Mayor’s Thames Festival

Jointly choreographed and performed in ‘Stormforce’ at Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Run annual dance residency for university students in Cadiz (Spain) for 8 years 

Worked with schoolchildren of all ages across the UK, and toured schools in Isle of Man