CB: What do you find yourself doing when you're not teaching or performing?

MKM: Oh... I'm usually coordinating something dance related: hosting international guest artist, helping to organize the dance camps and workshops. I also help coordinate the creative and administrative details surrounding annual concerts, performances and art residencies.

CB: You bring in artists from Africa?

MKM: When opportunities come up, we try to expose people and reinvigorate the community with Congolese artists based all around the world. We are always looking for what is hot and what's new.

CB: Do you ever find that the artists you bring in from Africa aren't teaching the traditional dance any more?

MKM: It's funny that you ask that because this is something we've been discussing at FUA. Sometimes artists directly from the continent have this overwhelming notion that contemporary African dance is their ticket out. Our students here [in the US] want and value authenticity. There can be tension between the new generation of artists and older ones who want to keep the dance pure. When African artists arrive from the continent and see what people want, it helps change their mindset as to where the true cultural wealth lies.

CB: Congolese dance is so different from what we are accustomed to seeing in West African dance. Sometimes it looks like each part of your body is doing something different.

MKM: Yes, Congolese dance focuses on the core: stomach, torso and hips. There is a lot of isolation and many different ways to roll the hips in particular. There's a lot more to Congolese dance than what people have become accustomed to. Congolese teachers here in the US tend to concentrate on movements from a select number of ethnic dance traditions because people respond well to them. But there are many traditions and rhythms that are virtually unexplored and that vary greatly in style and technique.

CB: We know you recently celebrated an anniversary. Can you tell us a little about that?

MKM: FUA DIA CONGO just celebrated its 30th anniversary. We wanted to create a living, breathing documentary for the occasion. Recently I'vee been getting into a little film work. So, we worked on a concept that wove media and live performance. Our anniversary celebration was called "Kongo Odyssey." We showed performance footage dating back to 1977 and then performed live some of the same pieces that were on the film. It was awesome. We wanted to create something lasting so the community would know our story. We wanted to show that Africans and African Americans in the Diaspora are connected by art, culture and our collective struggle for self determination.

CB: That sounds fantastic. Hopefully one day a tape of the show can be made available for others to see. What's ahead for you now?

MKM: We plan to do more study and research. We hope to one day establish a school here in the US with a partner institution in the Congo. Then people who are really serious and passionate about studying the culture can go there. We want to educate and help provide access to the Congo and its culture. This is a long term project for us.