Sani-Abu - Founder, Executive/Artistic Director           

Born into a family of traditional dancers, Sani-Abu began performing and touring at the age of 15 with Benin City's Uyi-Edo Dance Theater Troupe. He spent the past seven years in New Jersey and New York performing, teaching and collaborating with top leading dance companies such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Company, The Seventh Principle, Michael Mao Dance Company, The Brighton Ballet Theater in collaboration with the Moscow Ballet, Zawadi African Dance Company and Sankofa Dance Theater to name a few. In addition, he has also worked with John Hopkins University in Baltimore, and was a resident artist and educator at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Sani has toured extensively in both Europe and Africa, and has been trained by some of the top dancers and instructors such as Aghabiomon Nogie Ogbeiwi (Uyi-Edo Cultural Troupe), Youssouf Koumbassa (Les Ballet Bagata), Muyiwa Oshinaike a.k.a Babanee (Black Marbles), Felix Okolo (Dance Heritage), Chuck Mike, Candace Hundley-Kamate (Seventh Principle) and Karen Miles (Zawadi Dance). In addition, he has appeared in various television programs, films, music videos, and has been featured on CNN, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Lagos State Television (LTV), and 98.7 Kiss FM (New York). In April 2005, Sani moved to Toronto to start  ijo vudu! a traditional African dance company and Sani-Abu School for African and Contemporary Dance and in no time found a well-spring of artists bursting with enthusiasm to study and perform with him. He obtain an Artist-Educator Foundation Certificate through the Ontario Act Council and The Royal Conservatory of Music.With inspired guidance, Sani is swiftly schooling his performers in the traditional drum rhythms, social dances and cultural history of his native Country Nigeria. Since his arrival, he has been actively teaching and performing, and has quickly become a highly sought after artist in the city. In October 22, 2008, he was called with other professional dance choreographers to choreograph a 1 minute 20 seconds dance piece for the hit TV show, So You Think You Can Dance Canada!. In 2008, Sani was also appointed by the Nigeria High Commissioner to Canada Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, PhD.D, OON  to engage a cultural exchange between Nigeria and Canada. Since his inception in Canada, he has perform for Salif Keita, Youssouf N'dior, Baba Mal, Toby Foye, Billy Nnankoma Konate and Baba Toure all at the TD Canada Jazz Festivals. Both in 2009/2010, he was called to open up for the Broadway musical The Lion King.

Collette "Coco" Murray-Principal Dancer.(Canada)

Collette is a Graduate Program Assistant at York University at the downtown Osgoode Professional Development office, coordinating six part-time LLM (Masters of Laws) degree programs for legal professionals residing across Canada and abroad. Although she played musical instruments in her childhood, she discovered dance as her expressive outlet at the age of 15, exclusively in hip-hop and dance hall. Susubiribi Dancers, a group formed from high school, became a duo ensemble that she performed West African and choreographed Caribbean dances over a decade at various Ontario events/festivals and even in 2006 for government officials in Bermuda. For the past seven years, as a part-time Children’s Dance Instructor with the City of Toronto-Parks and Recreation, she has been dedicated to giving back the gift of dance to the community, along with working in her family’s literacy program. Her quest to evolve as a professional dancer led her to COBA (Collective of Black Artists) in 2003, where she completed a combination of open classes and 2 years of professional apprenticeship training in traditional West African, indigenous Caribbean Folk, Ballet, Dance hall, Afri-Jazz and Contemporary/Modern. Coco has been known for dancing and playing percussion with De Farmers Rhythm Section, playing steel pan/percussion with Phoenix Fire birds in 2005 and been featured in music videos (Farm P’s “Tan Tan” of Royalty Productions). She continues to feed her curious soul as a member of Ijo Vudu, embracing the culture, with the goal of expanding her movement vocabulary.

Michelle Dennis –Dancer (Canada)

Chris  began his percussion studies at Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario, where he held the position of Principal Percussion in the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra for two years. While in Sudbury, Chris began accompanying modern dance for "Earth dancers", which led him to compose music for percussion in collaboration with dancers from Toronto Dance Theater.

Chris moved to Vancouver in order to complete his Bachelor of  Music in Performance Percussion at the University of British Columbia where he studied under Salvador Ferreras. In Vancouver, Chris played with Okanagan Symphony, the Burnaby Symphony and the Vancouver Island Symphony.

In Vancouver, Chris has become an integral part of  Vancouver’s African drum community where he has performed with Fana Soro’s "Masabo Culture Company"  and plays the djembe solo in Fana’s African dance classes. Chris was invited to play djembe at the World Rhythm Festival in Seattle with Pepe Danza and the Rhythm Fools. Chris also plays percussion for Pepe Danza’s, Latin Jazz Band, El Sur.

Derek Thorne -  Guest Drummer (Canada)

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Derek has been a percussionist and drummer for 14 years. While studying English literature at McGill University, he learned Afro-Cuban percussion from masters Glen Clarke and Vovo, founder of the Montreal Jazz Festival. In 1992 he became a founding member of Montreal’s Keteke group. Since then, he has performed and recorded with company Ballet Creole and Trinidadian band Moka.  Derek currently resides in Toronto with his wife and daughter.

Dina Ajlenberg - Mentor/Manager (Canada)

She brings managerial experiences as well as life and professional experience stemming from 30 years practicing physiotherapy and stress management Counselor in Israel, England, France and Canada. Dina has a great passion for the African culture and music. An Avid volunteer with Music Africa for the past 4 years. Her exposure to Africa began early in her life when her father was sent to orchestrate Independence ceremonies for Chad and Niger. In England she was a manager and a lead singer to an Israeli folk group " Hagalgalim" (the wheels) who toured with the Dubliners. To keep a balance between activity and serenity, Dina is an accredited T'ai Chi Chih instructor, as well as an Osteoporosis Fitness Instructor to African beat. Her mission is: To promote Ijo Vudu, and make it known throughout Canada. to assist the originator and master mind of Ijo Vudu, Sani-Abu Mohammed Allen to bring the dance troupe to the top level where it belongs.

Born in  Togo, started dancing when he was 10. He has perform with various group including Ivory Ambassadors where he is a principal dancer. Lawrence (aka Oga the Law) got into ijo vudu when he got a call back from his audition with the company. He is also training to be a professional dancer and feel very good and proud for being one of  the ijo vudu family members.

Happiness Nwaka- Guest Dancer (Nigeria)

With a name of what it is, she means to spread it as far as she can. Happiness (aka Timaya, Baby na Gbankpa) Started being an artist from an early age. She is originaly from Imo State Nigeria. She has performed with various traditional dance companys in the Village before heading to the city. Happy has worked with great dance teacher and was glad when she was called in 2007 to join ijo vudu dance International where she took part in the 1st Voyage Afrique.

Jude C. Odoh- Make-up. (Nigeria)

Multitalented and an exceptional make-up artist. Jude have work with numerous Nollywood Stars providing make-up in dance and movie scene for the past 5 years. He was so happy when the artistic director of ijo vudu ask him to be the make-up manager for his company in 2007. He had travel both far and wide in Africa to make and transform movie scene using make-up to mesure up with the American Hollywood.