Signifying Ghosts

Association DONKO SEKO / Kettly Noël (Mali), Cocoon Dance / Rafaële Giovanola, Zentrum für zeitgenössischen Tanz / Vera Sander, Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln (Germany) 

The project “Signifying Ghosts” links to the cultural studies and postcolonial theories around the terms “threshold” (Turner) or “third place” (Bhabha). Whereas the concept of borders tends to lead to binary structures, to absolutize and to confront the other, the “threshold” is rather characterized by the elimination of barriers and the hybridization (or fusion) of cultures. The challenge for the artists in such liminal experience consists in taking a radical review of their own cultural values, to unlock their artistic productions and to dissolve as creative artists. It requires from them to recognize and value thresholds as places of loss of control, where things are drawn into a maelstrom and some developments cannot be explained and reflected for the time being.

SIGNIFYING GHOSTS, funded by the TURN Fund of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, is a collaborative project of extraordinary dance personalities with previous work experience in the mediation between Africa and Europe. Together, they’ll revisit their work and hand it over to their fellow female artists for a radical examination, while following the transformation process as observers.
 

Artistic & Administrative Direction: Rafaële Giovanola/ CocoonDance (Bonn), Kettly Noël/ Donko Seko (Bamako, Mali) | Dramaturgy: Rainald Endraß | Light Design & Technical Direction: Florent Blanchon | Production Management: Daniela Ebert | General Management: Mechtild Tellmann | Videos: Michael Maurissens, Julia Franken | Funded & Supported by: Fonds TURN der Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Goethe-Institut (Internationaler Koproduktionsfonds), Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, Bundesstadt Bonn, Kunststiftung NRW, Theatre-ProVS, Le Conseil de la Culture Etat du Valais, La Loterie Romande.





 

EX-SITU

Concept: CocoonDance | By & with: Ibrahima Camara, Fa-Hsuan Chen, Martina De Dominicis, Álvaro Esteban, Léonce Noah, Werner Nigg, Sanga Ouattara | Composition: Jörg Ritzenhoff | Costumes: Rafaële Giovanola, Fa-Hsuan Chen | Light Design: Florent Blanchon


 

NULLSTELLE

Choreography: Vera Sander | By & with: Ibrahima Camara, Werner Nigg | Composition: Dirk Specht | Light Design: Florent Blanchon

 

DIALOGUE ENTRE MOUCHE ET MOUSTIQUE

Choreography: Kettly Noël | By & with: Fa-Hsuan Chen, Ana Koné

 

FAKE N.E.W.S.

Choreography: Nelisiwe Xaba | By & with: Martina De Dominicis, Álvaro Esteban, Greta Salgado