La Compagnie Kangou

Audrey Kangou (Ya Kangou) is one of the most senior traditional artists working in Congo Brazzaville today — a choreographer, percussionist, and dancer whose roots in Congolese tradition run deep. Initiated into his family's artistic heritage at the age of seven by his grandfather and mentor Daniel Kangou, Ya Kangou has spent decades at the forefront of traditional performance.

His career spans some of the most respected ensembles in the region, including the National Ballet of the Congo, Africa Loketo, Tambours de Brazza Juniors, Tambours Sans Frontières, Ballet Senga, and Ballet Louzolo. He has toured extensively across Africa — Rwanda, Gabon, Cameroun, Angola, the DRC, South Africa, Morocco, Mali, Senegal, Togo, and Benin — as well as in Guadeloupe, Brazil, Poland, Germany, and France. He has collaborated with artists including Freddy Massamba, Emile Biayenda, Hyacinthe Massamba, and Kevin Finka.

In 2023, Audrey Kangou and Emanuela Castelnuovo co-founded La Compagnie Kangou in Brazzaville. Rooted in Congolese tradition and open to contemporary dialogue, the company has quickly established itself as one of the most innovative performance groups in the country.

Since its founding, La Compagnie Kangou has performed at FESPAM 2023 (Stade Massamba Débat, Brazzaville), FAYA KONGO Festival 2024 (winner, Brazzaville), Festival Piero Na Mbonda 2024 (1st edition, Brazzaville), Ferrara Buskers Festival 2024 (Italy), YAKA TO BINA 2024 (Brazzaville), Frontière Festival 2025 (Piuro, Italy), and Festival FIR International 2026 (Dschang, Cameroun).

La Compagnie will perform at the Festival Spirito del Pianeta in Bergamo, Italy, in summer 2026.