Cie Difé Kako

What Cie Difé Kako does

Cie Difé Kako is an independent, non-profit French dance company founded in 1995 in Paris by choreographer Chantal Loïal (a Guadeloupean artist trained at Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu and Ballets C. de la B.). The company specializes in Afro-Antillean and contemporary dance, developing an original choreographic language that fuses West and Central African traditions (sabar, Malinké, Congolese varieties) with Guadeloupean gwoka, Martinican bèlè, and contemporary forms. Its repertoire comprises 15+ original productions spanning 30 years, including the Bakannal trilogy (bal, street parade, stage piece), Cercle égal demi cercle au carré, On t'appelle Vénus #2, and children's shows (Tonton Mimil, Joséphine2b), performed across metropolitan France and overseas territories (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane) as well as internationally (Germany, Italy, Morocco). It also creates the annual Mois Kréyol festival (since 2017), a multidisciplinary celebration of Creole languages and cultures that attracted 12,000+ attendees in 2022.

The company operates a multi-format distribution model: (1) touring stage productions co-produced with national choreography centers (CCN Roubaix, Biarritz, Belfort) and regional venues; (2) participatory formats (Bal Konsèr, Carnaval parades, Conférence dansée) that integrate audiences as performers; (3) annual Afro-Antillean dance courses and free summer workshops in Paris; (4) membership-based community engagement (€15/€35/€50 tiers); and (5) documentary film production. It serves four customer segments: general public and families, educational institutions (schools, conservatories), cultural institutions (CCNs, theaters, festivals), and dance students.

Revenue is derived from performance and show fees, course subscriptions (€330-€390 annually), membership adhesion fees, and — most substantially — public subsidies from the French Ministry of Culture (DRAC), Ministry of Overseas Territories, DACs of Martinique/Guadeloupe/Guyane, and multiple regional and municipal councils. Governance is founder-led under Chantal Loïal (Directrice/ Chorégraphe) with an administrative team handling production, diffusion, administration/subventions, and communication. The company has no external institutional investors, no parent entity, and is not publicly traded.

Name

Cie Difé Kako

Legal name

Difé Kako

Website

https://difekako.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cie Difé Kako is a Paris-based non-profit dance company founded in 1995 by choreographer Chantal Loïal, producing Afro-Antillean and contemporary dance works, an annual Creole festival, and dance courses across France and overseas territories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGADAB

Contemporary & Modern Dance

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Dance & Ballet Performances

SECONDARYTHAJAFAD

Dance Performances

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Live Entertainment & Ticketed Events (Shows, Concerts, Sports Experiences)

SECONDARYMPAGADAJ

Dance Festivals & Dance Series

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Dance & Ballet Performances

SECONDARYEDAMAAAH

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Arts & Creative Enrichment (Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance performances
• Afro-Antillean dance
• Cultural festival production
• Dance education programs
• Live performance touring

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Performance and Show Fees: Revenue from presenting dance performances at festivals, theaters, and cultural venues across France and overseas territories. The company tours extensively with various productions targeting different audience segments including family/young audiences, general public, and educational institutions.
2. Dance Classes and Workshops: Annual dance courses in Afro-Antillean dance offered at their Paris location (Gymnase le Stadium, 66 avenue d'Ivry, 75013 Paris) with live musicians. Also includes summer free courses and specialized stages.
3. Membership and Adhesion Fees: Annual membership fees at three tiers: 15€, 35€, and 50€ per year, providing members benefits including access to dance courses, newsletters, priority access to events, and preferential rates for shows and the Mois Kréyol festival.
4. Public Subsidies and Grants: Substantial funding from French government ministries (Culture, Overseas Territories), regional councils, municipal governments, and cultural institutions. Support comes from DRAC, DAC Martinique, DAC Guadeloupe, DAC Guyane, various regional and departmental councils.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cie Difé Kako creates, produces, and tours original Afro-Antillean and contemporary dance productions with live musical accompaniment, alongside running the annual Mois Kréyol festival and weekly dance classes in Paris. The company delivers a portfolio of 15+ stage productions, participatory formats (Bal Konsèr, Carnaval parades), educational performances (Conférence dansée), and pedagogical dance courses led by dancers and musicians trained in Caribbean, African, and contemporary traditions.

Product overview

Cie Difé Kako is a dance and music company founded in 1995 by choreographer Chantal Loïal, specializing in Afro-Antillean and contemporary dance. The company's offerings include a diverse portfolio of stage productions (including Moun bakannal, Bakannal an lari, Piké kako konsèr, Cercle égal demi Cercle au Carré, Joséphine2b, Tonton Mimil, Noir de boue et d'obus, On t'appelle Vénus, and repertoire pieces like Zandoli, Po chapé, and Makak Janbé Croco), participatory performance formats (Bal Konsèr, Carnaval parades), educational performances (Conférence dansée), and annual dance courses with free summer workshops. The company also produces the Mois Kréyol festival and documentary films. Their work centers on cultural métissage between African, Caribbean, and European traditions, with themes spanning identity, ecology, history, and social justice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mois Kréyol: Pluridisciplinary festival dedicated to Creole languages and cultures, created by Cie Difé Kako in 2017. Held annually in mainland France (October–November) and in Caribbean territories (January–February).

Products and services

• Moun bakannal Stage production exploring Caribbean carnival traditions. Part of the Bakannal trilogy (Bal, Parade, Plateau) examining carnival's political and social dimensions in Caribbean culture. Created by choreographer Chantal Loïal.
• Bakannal an lari Carnivalesque street parade combining Afro-descendant martial arts traditions (Mayolé, Danmyé, Djokan, Kalinda, Capoeira, Moringue) with dance. Political and social commentary through public performance for street audiences.
• Piké kako konsèr Carnivalesque participatory ball format where audiences learn traditional and carnival dances from various Caribbean territories, accompanied by live musicians performing original compositions.
• Cercle égal demi Cercle au Carré Major stage production featuring 12-16 artists exploring dialogue between traditional Caribbean social dances (quadrilles, biguine) and urban dance forms (hip hop, voguing, krump) through créolisation and métissage.
• Tonton Mimil Children's show for ages 4+. An ecological awareness piece set in a Caribbean garden featuring the character Tonton Mimil, teaching environmental consciousness through dance and humor.
• Joséphine2b Children's show for ages 6+. Addresses environmental issues including chlordecone pesticide contamination in Caribbean banana plantations. Combines ecological themes with Caribbean identity exploration.
• On t'appelle Vénus / On t'appelle Vénus #2 Solo (2011) and collective (#2, 2025) production exploring the story of Sarah Baartman (the Hottentot Venus). The #2 version incorporates musicians and singers as a collective celebration of Black female bodies and tribute to Sarah Baartman against colonial gaze.
• Noir de boue et d'obus Stage production for ages 9+ addressing WWI and colonial soldiers (tirailleurs sénégalais). Explores themes of brotherhood, war trauma, and cultural encounter between African, Caribbean, and European soldiers. Received 'Centenaire' and 'Label Alsace 14-18' awards.
• Bal Konsèr / Le Bal Konsèr Déchaîné Participatory concert format. Audiences learn Caribbean dances (biguine, quadrille, zouk, salsa) while musicians perform live. Le Bal Konsèr Déchaîné incorporates urban dance influences.
• Conférence dansée / De la biguine au voguing Educational performance combining historical presentation with live dance. Explores evolution of social dances from 18th-century quadrilles to contemporary urban forms (hip hop, voguing).
• Makak Janbé Croco Theatrical tale for ages 8+ based on Caribbean folklore featuring Kompè Makak (monkey) and King Croco (crocodile). Combines dance, theater, music, percussion, and storytelling.
• Mois Kréyol Festival Annual multi-disciplinary festival of Creole languages and cultures created by Chantal Loïal in 2017. Held October-November in mainland France and January-February in Caribbean territories. Reached 12,000+ attendees with 95 artistic and cultural propositions in 2022.
• Cours de danse afro antillaise (annual dance classes) Annual dance classes teaching Afro-Antillean dance techniques including gwoka, bèlè, West African, and Central African dance styles, accompanied by live musicians. Held weekly Thursday evenings at Gymnase le Stadium in Paris 13th (8:30pm-10pm). Pricing: 390€/year normal, 330€/year reduced, with trimester options.
• Summer free dance workshops (Stages de danse gratuits) Free summer dance workshops held outdoors at Parc de Choisy in Paris, teaching Afro-Antillean dances with live percussion accompaniment.
• Carnaval : défilé, parade de rue Street parade combining Afro-Caribbean dance, hip hop, and acrobatics with percussion. Features 15-30 artists and includes costume and dance workshops as cultural action. Won Grand Prix du Jury at Carnaval Tropical de Paris in 2013.
• De Vénus à Miriam au pas de mon chant Opéra Paris Outre-Mer production connecting Sarah Baartman and Miriam Makeba's histories. Collaboration with soprano Marie-Claude Bottius and writer Kidi Bebey.
• Nous sommes Production exploring identity questions - how we define ourselves and how others define us. Addresses personal identity and relationship to Others through multidisciplinary performance.
• Po chapé Stage production set in the Château Rouge neighborhood of Paris exploring themes of community, identity, and cultural expression in African diaspora spaces.
• Zandoli Production blending Afro-Caribbean dance with hip hop. Set in a tropical garden, exploring créolisation through fusion of traditional and contemporary dance forms. Re-created in 2021 as Joséphine2b.
• Woulé Mango Production celebrating Caribbean and African heritage through dance and live percussion. Title means 'Live your life, make your way' in Créole.
• Aski Parè Production exploring women's experiences through dance and music, addressing themes of femininity, pain, desire, and resilience.
• Kakophonies Created in 1995, this piece combines dance, theater, and music exploring educational themes and créolisation through playful choreography and Caribbean cultural references.
• Documentary Films Documentary films complementing stage productions: 'Dans les pas d'une chorégraphe' (25 min), 'Chantal Loïal et la créolisation' (50 min), 'Du carré au cercle' (60 min), 'Ensemble nous bâtirons des ponts' (26 min).

Quantifiable outcome

• Festival Mois Kréyol reached 12,000+ people with 95 artistic and cultural propositions in 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministère des Outres MerscoreOthersFrench Ministry of Overseas Territories provides core institutional funding and support for the company's cultural activities across France and overseas territories.
• Région GuadeloupecoreOthersRegional council of Guadeloupe provides funding and institutional support, with the company maintaining strong ties to its founder's home territory.
• Région GuyanecoreOthersRegional council of French Guiana provides support for company activities and touring in the overseas territory.
• Région MartiniquecoreOthersRegional council of Martinique provides funding and institutional backing for performances and cultural activities.
• Région Île-de-FrancecoreOthersRegional council of Île-de-France provides support including Employment Tremplin employment funding program.
• Mairie de PariscoreOthersCity of Paris provides institutional support and venues including partnership with Conservatoire Maurice Ravel in Paris 13th.
• CCN de RoubaixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Choreography Center of Roubaix - Associated artist status from 2023-2025 for Bakannal Ballet project. Hosted residencies and performances.
• CCN de BiarritzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Choreography Center of Biarritz - Coproduction partner for Bakannal Ballet, hosted residencies and performances.
• Centre National de la Danse (CND)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Dance Center in Pantin provides studio facilities and support for creative residences.
• SPEDIDAMminorOthersFrench society for collective management of performers' rights, supporting the company's activities.
• SACDminorOthersSociety of Authors and Composers Dramatic, supporting playwright and choreographer rights.
• Radio NovaminorOthersIndependent French radio station, media partner for cultural content related to Caribbean and African cultures.
• La 1ère (France Ô)minorOthersFrench overseas television network, media coverage for cultural events and performances.
• Ascendanse hip-hop, Distribilh, Karaib' Vibe, Freestyle Systems, Raqs Nefertiti, RytmetissminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociative dance and cultural organizations that collaborate with the company on various artistic projects and events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Centre National de la Danse (CND): The French national dance resource and infrastructure hub in Pantin that provides studios, residencies, and training to companies including Difé Kako. It is an ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor but is central to how companies like Difé Kako operate.
• CCN de Roubaix / Le Gymnase CDCN: A Centre Chorégraphique National that hosts Difé Kako residencies and coproductions. As an institutional partner of Difé Kako, it represents the network of CCN venues that distribute the company's work to French national audiences.

Broad incumbents

• Théâtre National de Chaillot: A major Parisian national theater with a strong contemporary dance programming focus and a comparable commitment to cultural diversity. Comparable to Difé Kako as a French national stage presenting diverse dance repertoires, though at substantially greater scale.
• Compagnie Maguy Marin: A long-established French contemporary dance company with a major touring repertoire and deep institutional partnerships (CCN and theater network). Its structure, residency model, and touring footprint closely parallel Difé Kako's, though with a broader European contemporary dance focus rather than Afro-Antillean specificity.
• Ballet Preljocaj: A major French contemporary ballet company based in Aix-en-Provence with significant institutional CCN support, large-scale touring productions, and educational programming — a broader incumbent whose scale and CCN ecosystem overlap Difé Kako's operating model.

Direct peers

• Compagnie Käfig: Founded by Mourad Merzouki, Compagnie Käfig is a France-based contemporary dance company blending hip-hop, urban dance, and world influences, comparable to Difé Kako in being a choreographically distinctive French touring company with a strong educational and festival-oriented outreach mission.
• Compagnie James Carlès: A Toulouse-based contemporary dance company with strong African and Afro-descendant choreographic influences, comparable to Difé Kako in fusing African diasporic dance vocabularies with contemporary forms and operating a company that produces both stage work and educational/community programming.

Emerging players

• Compagnie La Voleuse d'ombres: A French contemporary dance company with thematic socially engaged productions and a comparable scale of touring and educational outreach, sharing with Difé Kako a profile of a mid-sized independent French company working with cultural-institution funding models.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Le-Mois-Kr%C3%A9yol-2017-1378843635567794
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cie-dife-kako

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cie Difé Kako