The Alliance Française of Harare will be transformed into a dynamic stage for a unique exploration of dance as a tool of resistance and liberation today.
The French dance company Dans6T will be presenting Of Dances and Struggles, a performance that promises to be intellectually engaging and visually appealing. The showcase will feature local talents from the AfriKera Dance School.
“AfriKera, as a dance institution, is always very open to collaborating with other dance companies, both locally and internationally. We have been presented with this opportunity by Dans6T," said Marie-Laure Soukaina Edom, founder and director of AfriKera.
"This time, we are targeting AfriKera students and the theme is Struggle and dance. For example, as homework, I asked the students to think about the steps of jiti and toyi toyi. This workshop will be an exchange — it’s a two-way interaction. I am eager to see how the students will absorb the information and appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with people from other countries. For me, as the director, this is an essential exercise. We enjoy collaborating across different genres and not existing in a bubble; cross-fertilisation is very much a part of my philosophy."
The dance company is currently on tour in Africa, with performances and workshops scheduled in Durban, Maseru, Lesotho and Namibia. They will be in Bulawayo on August 30 and will share the stage with No Name Dance Crew at Alliance Française.
In Harare, the event is structured as a dance conference. This innovative format will see two French dancers traverse multiple dance styles, each with origins deeply rooted in social and liberation movements.
The performance will journey from the vibrant steps of South African pantsula and the passionate expressions of flamenco to the highly stylised poses of voguing —which evolved from the 1960s Harlem ballroom scene — and the expressive freedom of Los Angeles-originated waacking, alongside Oriental dances.
French dancer and choreographer Bouziane Bouteldja, central to the production, explained the profound concept behind the performance. “The idea is to tell the story of dances born out of social struggles or liberation movements, but also those that emerged from migration and encounters between people,” he said.
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“The aim is to remind us of the role of dance in society, because it embodies values too often forgotten: the fight against discrimination, feminism, community living, emancipation and acceptance of one’s body.”
Fanny Gauthier, the director of the Alliance Française de Harare, revealed that the showcase includes an interactive element where the audience will be invited to join the dance.
“The event is structured as a conference-style demonstration, woven together with a narrative that mixes personal and global history,” Gauthier told NewsDay Life & Style.
