Lesina Martin

Lesina Martin was born in 1982 in Detroit, MI. She received her Bachelor's degree in African Studies at Howard University in 2003 where she co-founded Nsaa Dance Ensemble, the only African Diaspora cultural performing arts organization in the school. Lesina has been a student of West African dance and cultural traditions her entire life, as her family has been involved in cultural arts since the late 1970s. At the age of ten, she joined the African Family Ballet, a youth ensemble based in her middle school. Since then, Ms. Martin has studied extensively throughout the United States and traveled to Guinea, Senegal, and Gambia. Her mother, Kahemba Kitwana, was her first teacher, along with the members of her extended family in Detroit's African-centered community. 

Through her travels, she has been fortunate enough to study with such artists as Sekouba Camara, Epizo Bangoura, Moustapha Bangoura, Mouminatou Camara, Youssouff Koumbassa, Assane Konte, Marie Basse Wiles, and Kadiatou Conte. On her most recent voyage to Guinea under the patronage of Mamady Keita, she studied and performed with Ballet Djoliba, National Ballet of Guinea. Lesina is a performing member of Farafina Kan, which participated in the finale performance of Fest de Kaloum annual percussion festival in Guinea (December 2006). She is also a dance instructor for Tam Tam Mandingue USA Outreach Program for Washington, DC area youth.