Colombia is reconnecting with Africa through Dancing – Sankofa Danzafro in South Africa
Colombia is reconnecting with Africa through Dancing – Sankofa Danzafro in South Africa
by Tonderai Chiyindiko
Afro-Colombian Dance Company Sankofa Danzafro which was recently in South Africa (courtesy of the Embassy of Colombia in South Africa) for several performances and workshops including at University of the Witwatersrand’s Wits Theatre and the at The South African State Theatre in Tshwane, is a company that is deeply interested and committed to reconnecting with the African continent through dance.
Made up of Afro-Colombians hailing from different parts of Colombia, and from a country which has “the second largest Afro-descent population found in Latin America”, performing and sharing their deeply spiritual, emotionally charged, and ritualistic works on the ‘motherland’ is something they regard with high significance and cherish. They have performed in countries such as Senegal, Kenya and so many others including now, in South Africa.
Sankofa Danzafro at Wits Theatre (Johannesburg, South Africa, 2024) (Photo – Ihsaan Haffejee)
In speaking to the Financial Times journalist Apollinaire Scherr, about the connection between Colombian and Latin American dance styles to those from the continent, and with reference to one of their marquee dance pieces, “La Ciudad de los Otros” (“The City of Others”), Artistic Director Rafael Palacios was keen to make the point that it is high time this connection is acknowledged and celebrated, and not just given token recognition.
“La Ciudad de los Otros” (“The City of Others”) was judicious in form, resonant with meaning, and delivered in dance languages that ran the gamut from diasporic African to Latinised hip-hop”, said Palacios.
Sankofa Danzafro at Wits Theatre (Johannesburg, South Africa, 2024) (Photo – Ihsaan Haffejee)
Artistic Director Rafael Palacios of Sankofa Danzafro at Wits Theatre (Johannesburg, South Africa, 2024) (Photo – Ihsaan Haffejee)
For Sankofa Danzafro and their members, the mission of connecting to and with Africa and vice-versa through spreading a message of self-awareness, self-knowledge, the important of knowing and acknowledging one’s roots and positivity to the world through dance is one which they will continue to champion because it is also about education and educating African peoples on the continent.
“When we study ourselves, we are able to recognise ourselves and that is an anti-racist process”, says Palacios.
Palacios was quick to point out that for them, there is no separation between what they dance, how they dance and why they dance.
“…it is a balance between celebration and commemoration of the evils of slavery and colonialism… (which means) …the narrative and dramaturgy are elements that are not in conflict with each but rather complimentary.”, says Palacios.
In the end, “…it is not the dancer who needs to be educated, but the public that needs to be educated…because every act, whether dancing, cooking, or how one dresses is a political act”, says Palacios.
copyright: cultureafrica.net 2024
Links: Sankofa Dance Afro https://www.joyce.org/performances/46/behind-the-south-dances-for-manuel/sankofa-danzafro
The Wits Theatre: https://www.wits.ac.za/witstheatre/
Colombian Embassy in SA: http://Colombia [ Republic of ] Embassy | South African Government (www.gov.za)
South African State Theatre: http://The South African State Theatre | Pretoria | Facebook
University of Witwaterstrand: https://www.wits.ac.za/