Alya started his career in dance and music already as a little boy in the dance group of his primary school. His big sister took him to see the rehearsal of the group Troupe Federal Conakry 1, where he was spotted as a talented youngster and asked to join the group. He was also trained professionally in National Ballet Djoliba. In addition of normal weekly training and performances the group had intensive training camps for one or two months where the day started with 15 km jogging and continuing until the evening...
Alya later went to Senegal and to Gambia where he stayed for 8 years. He was performing in the groups Ballet Fôret Sacrée (Dakar) and was the second choreographer of Gambia's National Ballet. He founded his own group called African Ballet (Gambia) and had tournées with it in the western Africa.
Alya did his first tournées in Europe with Moussa Cole's band Sabano 75 and Michel Marre Sextet in Italy, Germany and France. He moved to Paris in 1989 and worked as musician and dancer in groups Grand Ballet d'Afrique Noir, Ballet Nimba, Ballet Kakande, Batapon ja Ballet Bougarabou and toured with them in Euroope, North America, Caribbean Islands and Japan. He also taught regularly dance and music in different countries in Europe.
Alya has been living in Helsinki, Finland since 1996 and has been teaching and performing with several groups in festivals, dance and music schools, universities, theatres, television, schools and youth centres. He was also invited to be the choreographer of African ballet of Denmark and performed with Good People Band in Cuba.
He founded Wonuwali 1998 with Outi Kallinen to perform in the opening week of Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki.