SENEGAL: Come and dance festival in Dakar showcases performances from hip hop to ballet and traditional African dance

Record ID: 473835

  • Title: SENEGAL: Come and dance festival in Dakar showcases performances from hip hop to ballet and traditional African dance
  • Date: 9th June 2011
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE WORKSHOP (SOUNDBITE) (French) ALEXIS MBILA, WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT SAYING: "Kaay Fecc has given me the opportunity to gain experience, diversify my knowledge of dancing and learn different dance styles." VARIOUS OF ACCRO-ROLLERS DANCE COMPANY PERFORMING TRADITIONAL DRUMMERS VARIOUS OF SENEGAL TRADITIONAL DANCE (SABAR) AUDIENCE WATCHING MO
  • Embargoed: 24th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Senegal, Senegal
  • Country: Senegal
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAE9OOI76IQK2FAQG8MJ6WUTTEV
  • Story Text: Dance lovers flocked to Senegal's capital, Dakar last week for the 6th installment of the dance festival Kaay Fecc.
    Kaay Fecc which means "come and dance" in the native West African language Wolof, brings together dancers from across the region and abroad for four days of performances and workshops.
    Twenty dance companies from Africa and abroad showcased material at the festival held at the Blaise Senghor cultural centre from June 02 to June 05.
    For the foreign companies the festival is an opportunity to work with some of Africa's leading dancers. For some of the smaller African groups the event is an opportunity to get international exposure.
    "I dreamt of performing at Kayy Fecc in 2005 and in 2007 and then I thought to myself, when will I present my own show?" said Congolese dancer and choreographer Jacques Bana Yanga.
    Performing arts tend to be underfunded in many of the African countries represented at the event but organisers say the festival has helped bring credibility to dancing as a profession.
    "One of the aims of the festival is to feed imaginations, to present quality dance from across the spectrum so we display just as well contemporary dance, urban dance and traditional dance all of the highest quality," said festival director Gacirah Diagne.
    She says perceptions have begun to change and dancers taking part in the event are seen more than ever as athletes and artists rather than simply entertainers.
    Besides the dance shows, other activities were organised to promote African culture, including jewelry and handicraft stalls, photo exhibitions and documentary screenings.
    Visitors also had the chance to participate in workshops.
    "Kaay Fecc has given me the opportunity to gain experience, diversify my knowledge of dancing and learn different dance styles," hip hop workshop participant Alexis Mbila said.
    But the festival highlight was the Battle Sabar, a dance off between two groups performing a very fast traditional Senegalese dance. The battle brought the audience to their feet, cheering the dancers to the rhythm of traditional sabar drums.
    For some visitors it was the first time they'd seen the dance.
    "I have been in Dakar for some time and I have never seen the Kaay Fecc before, it's a quality show, I am discovering all sorts about traditional dance, it's a great experience," said audience member, Audrey Spectrice.
    Kaay Fecc is held every two years. This year's edition coincided with the 10th anniversary of the association of the same name which set up the dance festival.
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