Sidiki Conde Receives NEA National Heritage Fellow Award

2007 NEA National Heritage Fellow and disabled Guinean dancer and composer Sidiki Conde (from New York City) received his award from National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia at the award ceremony on Capitol Hill on September 18. NEA Chairman Gioia said Mr. Conde is "a dancer who uses the stage to transform physical ability into endless possibility."

Sidki Conde is an African musician and dancer.  At the age of 14, Sidiki Conde lost the use of his legs as the result of polio. In order to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony, Sidiki reconstructed the traditional steps using his hands instead of his feet. Conde is also a musician and arranger and teaches workshops for Very Special Arts.

Photo by Tom Pich. From left to right: 2007 NEA National Heritage Fellow Sidiki Conde (from New York City) and National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia.