Throwback to the exchange project at Ecole des Sables (January 9 – February 10, 2023)

During 5 weeks, the 12 students from the STUDIOS program at P.A.R.T.S. participated in an exchange project with 10 young African dancers-choreographers at Ecole des Sables, the school initiated by Germaine Acogny in Toubab Dialaw, Senegal and currently directed by Alesandra Seutin and Wesley Ruzibiza. This exchange program is organized for the 4th time since 2013.

The program consisted of classes ranging from traditional to contemporary African dances and western approaches, workshops with African choreographers and seminars on contemporary African thinking and arts. With space for the participants to develop collaboration projects with each other.

The African dance technique classes included Sabar tradition Senegalese dance by Yama Wade (Senegal), Acogny technique by Alesandra Seutin (South Africa/Belgium), urban dances from the Ivory Coast by Bertrand Saky (Ivory Coast) and contemporary technique by Alesandra Seutin (South Africa/Belgium) and Youness Khoukhou (Morocco/Belgium).

Masterclasses were organized in which choreographers Nacera Belaza (Algeria/France) , Dorcy Rugamba (Rwanda/Belgium), Hardo Ka (Senegal) and Funmi Adewole (Nigeria/UK) shared their artistic practice. There were seminars with Senegalese poet Thierno Seydou Sall and musicians/activists Thiat Keur Gui and Mina la Voilée.
In the final two weeks the participants explored various modes of artistic research and collaboration. The project was finished with a presentation of some of the works and practices for a local audience.

Participating dancers & choreographers:

P.A.R.T.S.
Rania Barhoumi (Tunisia), Judith D’Hondt (Belgium), Urte Groblytė (Lithuania), Marlla dos Santos Araújo (Brazil), Geraldine Haas (France), Ching-Shu Huang (Taiwan), Jair Jetzehu Montes Rangel (Mexico), Marikki Nyfors (Finland), Adem Ouhaibia (Algeria), Osamu Shikichi (Japan), Mira Studer (Switzerland), Im Kanokporn Vorapharuek (Thailand)

AFRICAN PARTICIPANTS
Emanuel Anosike Chigozirim (Nigeria), Obasi Chizorom (Nigeria), Dieynaba Ndoye (Senegal), Mai Juli Machado Nhapulo (Mozambique), Ousmane Tall (Senegal), Millicent Tsisika (Kenya), Amdallah Hamissi (Rwanda), Christmas ‘Cruzz’ Kasolene Kasareke (DR Congo), Binta Sylla (Senegal), Cheick Ibrahima Thiam (Senegal)

Images by Cruzz Taylor