For forty years, Raymond Sylla has served the international community as choreographer, historian, teacher and musical arranger of traditional African Dance and Drum. He has served as artistic director of Orisa Dance and Drum Troupe for several years.

Originally from Dakar, Senegal, Mr. Sylla has traveled to many remote African Villages. He has met first hand with the leaders, elders and others who were and are the keepers of the history, and culture of traditional dance, music and song.

Raymond Sylla is a founding member of the Ballet Afrikans de Diabel Geuye and has performed as a dancer, choreographer, ballet master and teacher with the. He has served as a research agent for the Cultural Affairs Ministry in Senegal, being selected on the basis of his anthropological studies of ethnic groups in Senegal.

Mr. Syllla was granted a fellowship by the Ohio Arts Council. Presently he serves as a visiting artist critic for the Ohio Arts Council. Mr. Sylla is dedicated to the preservation of traditional West African culture and shares the culture through the living art forms of music and dance.