Patrick Acogny SN/FR

The route of Patrick Acogny is a little unusual in the world of dance. He began dancing at the late age of 23. He trains first in Europe (including Belgium and France) before completing his training in Africa (Mali and Senegal). Fascinated by African dances and the work of his mother Germaine Acogny, he worked as a dancer with, Tassembédo Irene, a former student of Mudra Afrique and Germaine Acogny, and other French contemporary dance companies. In 1995, he was offered a chance to become a choreographer in England where he stayed six years at the direction of one of the largest black dance companies in the country: Kokuma dance Theatre.

In 2002, he returns to France and he is involved in many dance schools and gives many master classes in France and abroad. In 2005, Patrick begins to teach at the Ecole des sables of Germaine Acogny and Helmut Vogt. He becomes assistant artistic director in 2007 and in 2014 he is artistic director. With Germaine and Helmut, he choreographs for the two dance companies Jant-Bi (male and female), gives dance lessons, hosts seminars and supports dancers and choreographers who are trained at the school and runs the school.

In addition to being an artist, a "doer" and a "runner" in dance, Patrick also holds two master's degrees in arts: that of a Middlesex University in London (UK) and the second from the University Paris 8. Patrick is also a PhD of arts, sciences, technologies and aesthetic: performing arts of the University of Paris 8.