Modern dance from Africa

Last week I visited the program called Danse Afrique in the dance festival Julidans here in Amsterdam. During Dance Afrique we saw three performances by modern dance performers form Africa, whoa are touring Europe after winning an African modern dance concourse. The three pieces were very inspiring, beautifully danced and original.

The second piece we saw was called by the choreographer Andréya Ouamba from Senegal. She danced in it too. On stage there were a couple, seemingly living on the street in cartons. The dance was a kind of a battle between the man and the woman, with expressions of fear, loneliness, attraction and reclaiming own identities. The way they moved was very staccato, with short movements with strange bowing of arms and legs. I liked it very much. This was for me the best dance of the evening.

I also liked the group Mona- Mabu (Li Sangha company) from Congo a lot. They danced a choreography by Orchy Nzaba about daily life in the community, with a lot of familiar things like drinking beer together, playing and having small discussions. All of this danced in a nice rhythmical choreography by a group of five dancers. The group was completed with a storyteller who narrated and performed with the group.
It was nice to see professional dancers from Africa doing their modern dance, with a very own style. It was modern dance, but it wasn’t a copy of what you will see in Europe. And it was African, but it was not the traditional African dance we all know so good, and like a lot too. It was something new and beautiful, modern and African.