Awards /
California Arts Council, 2018
Gold, Hong Kong international martial arts invitational tournament, 2018
Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Mentorship, 2018
Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Living Cultures, 2018
Foundation of Contemporary Arts, 2015
CHIME 2013
Lester Horton Award, Finalist, Outstanding Male Dancer 2011
Gold , US Nationals Taekwondo, 2010
Durfee Foundation, 2009.
Gold , UCLA Taekwondo Open 2009
Lester Horton Award, Finalist, Outstanding Male Dancer, 2008
Best Choreography Award, Arbre D’Adaptation, Emerging Above Ground Festival, Los Angeles, May 2007
Silver Medal, Albi Taekwondo Open Tournament, France, 2006.
National Champion, Taekwondo, Burkina Faso, 2000 – 2006
Collaborators /
Heidi Duckler
Vic Marks
Maria Gillespie
Viver Brasil
Eric Mezzino Cie E.Go
Baker & Tarpaga Dance Project
Gerardo Delgado
Robert Battle
Gilles Schamber
Actors Gang
Compagnie Ta
Taisha Paggett
Rebecca Bruno
Brendan Fernandes
Yann Novak
Johanna Breiding
My Barbarian
Wilfried Souly is a choreographer, dancer, drummer and Taekwondo expert, originally from Burkina Faso in West Africa. He was trained in African traditional and contemporary dances since his youngest age in the acclaimed company “The Bourgeon du Burkina.” In September 2000, he co-founded “Compagnie Tâ” with two other choreographers and co-choreographed many dance pieces presented around the world, including one work that was selected as a finalist at the fifth Choreographic Encounters of Africa and Indian Ocean in Madagascar. The piece was then presented at the Great Barbican Center in London for a full week event. Compagnie Tâ also collaborated with an association of visual artists on Genies de la Bastille, Paris.
Willy himself has collaborated with international choreographers and performed in works such as Space i Tiempo, choreographed by Robert Battle (USA) and Gerardo Delgado (Mexico) in Tampico, Mexico; and Dole Danle, with the French Hip Hop Company E.Go, directed by Eric Mezzino and Gilles Schamber. In 2007, Willy moved to Los Angeles and joined Baker & Tarpaga Dance Project as an Associate Director, where he co-choreographed and performed Arbre D’Adaptation (2007), which won the Best Choreography award at “Emerging Above Ground 07”; Sira Kan (2008), presented at the NOW Festival 08; and “Dar Es Salaam” (2009).
Willy has collaborated with many local artists and companies in Los Angeles, including Maria Gillespie (Exquisite Corps 2010), Victoria Marks, Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre Company and Viver Brasil Dance Company. He choreographed and produced the dance film Bayiiri (Home Town) in 2011. In 2014, his solo “Saana/The foreigner” is premiered at the Redcat NOW Festival and the Ethna Negria Celebration at Teatro Balboa in Panama City May 2015. “Unarmed” a quintet with live musician was presented at the Barnsdall Theater, at “For Our Boys” first edition. Willy is a lecturer at the UCLA World Art & Culture/Dance Department since 2009 and teaches community classes at Your Neighborhood Studio in Culver City.
“…Wilfried Souly, his dancing is like his name—soulful…a quality that I would call emotional truth.”