Contemporary African dance is featured this month — via a festival of work by three African choreographers at Chaillot Theater. The fest, which orignated in Angola, and since moved to Madagascar, provides a look at the direction contemporary dance is taking outside Europe and America.
The Rary Dance Company is the best known of the troupes. Its director, Ariry Andriamoratsiresy, has come to France several times to give workshops. Among the dancemakers invited, he’s the most æsthetically universal and “contemporain.” His piece reveals a pure and minimalist abstract style subtlely spiced with oriental grace and fluidity.
“Vin Nem” by Burkino Faso creator Lacina Coulibaly, blends African sounds, movement, ritual gestures and animal symbolism, in a more narrative work that transports the audience into a metaphysical land hovering somewhere between tradition and modernity.
Sello Pesa, the choreographer of “Same but Different,” has worked with both Robyn Orlin’s City Dance Theater and Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker at her school in Brussels, specializing in jazz dance and tap. His company explores and experiments with all dance forms from hip hop to ballet. Many of his choreographies are set to original Aborigene music.
After the final performance on February 9 the festival will host an African Ball open to the public in Chaillot’s Grand Foyer.
The fest also includes a series of dance workshops. Info: tel: 01 42 74 06 44
Afrique en créations “Same but Different” (chor. Sello Pesa/Inzalo Dance Theater Company — South Africa)/“Mpirahalahy Mianala” (chor. Ariry Andriamoratsiresy/Rary Company — Madagascar)/“Vin Nem” (chor. Lacina Coulibaly/Kongo Ba Teria Company — Burkino Faso) Feb 7, 8 & 9 , 8:30pm, Théâtre National de Chaillot, 1 pl du Trocadéro, 16e, M° Trocadéro, tel: 01 53 65 30 00
