Musical Conversation with Derrick Spiva Jr.
💬 Pre-Broadcast Jan 29 at 5:30 P.M. (PST)
Yeko Ladzekpo-Cole
choreography & movement
Yeko Ladzekpo-Cole was born into a family of drummers, dancers and composers from the country of Ghana, West Africa. Her parents helped establish the West African Drum and Dance program at California Institute of the Arts and UCLA. She herself holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dance from CalArts and continues to carry on the tradition of performing and teaching the various styles of West African music and dance. For over 10 years, Yeko worked closely with her parents and their professional company Zadonu and has now taken over the reins and revitalized the company. She has led Ford Theatres JAM Sessions both on site and in the City of Santa Clarita, Newhall since 2013.
Yeko Ladzekpo-Cole was born into a family of drummers, dancers and composers from the country of Ghana, West Africa. Her parents helped establish the West African Drum and Dance program at California Institute of the Arts and UCLA. She herself holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dance from CalArts and continues to carry on the tradition of performing and teaching the various styles of West African music and dance. For over 10 years, Yeko worked closely with her parents and their professional company Zadonu and has now taken over the reins and revitalized the company. She has led Ford Theatres JAM Sessions both on site and in the City of Santa Clarita, Newhall since 2013.
Yeko Ladzekpo-Cole has also worked under the direction of Debbie Allen and Lula Washington and with DreamWorks Studios on the dance sequences for the movie Madagascar II, Escape to Africa. She has performed with Fleetwood Mac during a Superbowl tailgate concert, at an anniversary celebration concert for the Grammy Music Awards, for the opening gala party for The Lion King movie, and in Shakira’s video for the 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka.”
