Fampitaha, fampita, fampitàna

In the organizer's words:

A haunting dance performance about bodies, memory, origins and the passing on of knowledge - powerful, moving and collaborative.

Four bodies defy the colonial violence that has shaped them over the years: Soa Ratsifandrihana's new work choreographically and musically traces the manifold narratives of life in the diaspora. Together with a guitarist and two performers, she embarks on a journey between Madagascar and various continents in search of the history of origin, movement, memory and her legacy. In Fampitaha, fampita, fampitàna - which roughly translates as comparison, tradition and competition - personal and collective experiences of the diaspora are interwoven into a multi-layered narrative. The performance is a poetic reminder that inherited traditions can take on a new form not only through language, but also through body, movement and sound. Without ever losing the seriousness of the subject, Ratsifandrihana and her ensemble succeed in making the power of self-empowerment and connection tangible in an approachable, humorous and light-hearted way.

"Fampitaha, fampita, fampitàna makes the complexity of a multi-generational diaspora tangible. The powerful yet touching performance creates space for ambivalence, for understanding and not understanding - for ambiguity and tolerance. It reminds us that cultural diversity is not a threat, but a living reality in Europe." - the curators of the PERFORMING DEMOCRACY festival

The performance on Tuesday, May 12 will be followed by an audience discussion.