About the Artistic Staff

Babu Atiba featured in interview for Black Nouveau, Milwaukee's public TV station program.

Babu Atiba is one of the founding members and credits his parents for establishing a solid foundation, from which he and his siblings could grow.  He also credits his wife, Sister Kemba, for her support and continuance of that tradition. Atiba has traveled throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, West Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean island, as a result of playing the African Drum. Having received the Artistic Achievement Award in 2002 and the Smart Cookie Award in 2004, Atiba says, “Living in the Way of MAAT, reminds me of the proverb, if happiness is your destiny, you need not be

in a hurry!”

Idy Ciss comes to us from Senegal.  He credits his grandparents with his natural dance ability.  They were well known in their village for their dancing, and it was from them that he received this gift.  From the time he was five years old, the people from his village loved to watch him dance.  He was always called upon to perform for special occasions and ceremonies.  He credits the love and support of his family and neighbors as the catalyst, which led him to the field of professional dance.  Idy is also a teacher and singer of traditional African songs.  His professional debut was with Les Ballets Africans Kolaam Serere.  He is also a former member of Ballets Africans.  He has performed before presidents of several African countries and appeared on national television in Senegal.  Idy is now a full time member of Muntu offering his expertise as a consultant, choreographer and principal dancer.

Clifton Robinson is one of Jamaica’s finest folklorists.   At an early age he joined with the Western Folk Theater Company under the direction of Mr. Alfred Baker and Mrs. Fay Lawrence, where he sang folk songs and played traditional drums.  He later toured with the Company to the United States.   It was here that Mr. Robinson decided to research and study the various hand drums of the African Diaspora through which he found his vocation as a percussionist and vocalist.  In 1995, Clifton collaborated with Hannibal Lukumbe and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as musical director of the Eye Plus One Percussion Ensemble in the production of African Portraits.  He has taught African Caribbean percussion at Chicago State University and DePaul University Theatre School and continues to teach music and accompaniment. Clifton’s goal is to be expressive as a musician and educator contributing to the moral upliftment of humanity and to further develop his creativity to its highest realm.

Tosha Alston was born and raised in

Brooklyn, New York to a family of singers, dancers, actresses and musicians.  She began dancing, acting and vocal training at 5 years old in a little local dance studio.  At age 13 Tosha was introduced to West African dance & Orisa

where I found my love and my salvation to cope with the passing of her mom.  After high school she began teaching in the public school

system in Brooklyn and continued to train, perform and travel with M’bemea G’Bassikolo

out of Guinea and New York.  Now at 24, she relocated to Chicago to dance, teach and study with Muntu Dance Theatre under the direction of Amaniyea Payne, where her love for dance an understanding of the arts have gone to a

higher height.