In 1988, Mamady Keita and the Zig Zag organisation (who also organises Couleur Café) creates "Répercussions", first European school for rhythm and percussion, with a programme of regular courses and workshops.
It was in 1991 that the Summer Workshops were born. They were organised in Brussels by Mamady Keita's new school : Tam Tam Mandingue. Along the various editions, the "Summer workshops" have gathered the greatest names of African dance and drums around Mamady Keita (It is difficult to name them all for there are so many of them).
In 2006, Mandingfoli, the new school led by Babara Bangoura, one of Madady's spiritual sons, takes over the organisation of the workshops, in association with Robert De Decker. Since 2008, the name "Couleur Tradition" (Colour tradition) is associated to this event.
In 2010, Manding Foli hands the hosting over to the young organisation Ginè Faré, still in association with Robert De Decker.
Since 2014 and with the help of some friends, the asbl "Les Percutés" took this organisation over.
Today we can really speak about a tradition for this international event in Brussels, which lasts for more than 20 years. Every year, about fifteen artists, amongst the greatest ambassadors of African cultures teach how to dance, sing, play djembe, kora, dununs... They come from Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroun... The Summer workshops receive hundreds of students from whole Europe and elsewhere, in particular the USA and Japan.
The African music and dance International Summer Workshops of Brussels have become along the years one of the major events of African culture in Belgium. During the ten days of this events an african evening will be organised for rassembling teachers and participants. A gourmet area will be open to discover meals from Africa.
But ahead of all these rich exchanges, it is the particularly warm atmosphere of the Summer Workshops that remain, for most of all, what makes the success of this event.