Biza Sompa, art director and choreographer, began his dance-choreography career in 1970 with the Ballet Damar and the Congolese National Dance Company in Brazzaville, Congo. He toured extensively throughout France, Belgium and Germany with the Paris based Congolese dance troupes Ballet Lemba and Ballet N'Kodia.
In 1979, Biza founded the Bichini Bia Congo Dance Theater Company, which is based in Ann Arbor, MI. Under his proficient guidance as the artistic director for the company, the members of Bichini Bia Congo are trained in the technical and aesthetic elements of Congolese dancing, singing, instrumentation, and drumming. Biza and his dance troupe travel to elementary schools and high schools throughout the country using African Dance as a cultural learning tool to educate and motivate young children.
Currently, Biza is a lecturer in the dance department at the University of Michigan and Washtenaw Community College. In addition to teaching, Mr. Sompa also facilitates master classes, workshops, lectures, and demonstrations.