Two powerful pieces for an exceptional evening: JOSEPHINE, a world premiere, and The Rite of Spring by Pina Bausch, danced by a new generation of performers from 14 African countries. Two major works that explore the relationship between the body, history, and transmission.

A key figure in contemporary African dance, Germaine Acogny has been developing an audacious choreographic vision for over forty years, blending African traditional dances with contemporary movement. As the founder of the École des Sables in Senegal, she has continually built bridges between cultures and generations. With JOSEPHINE, she honors one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century. An icon of the Parisian stage in the 1920s, Joséphine Baker was not only a dazzling artist but also a committed humanist and passionate advocate for freedom, equality, and human dignity. She was one of the first major Black artists to perform at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, exactly 100 years ago. In this solo, choregraphed in collaboration with Alesandra Seutin, Germaine Acogny connects her own artistic journey with the story of Josephine Baker and explores what this major figure of the 20th century symbolizes today.

In the second part, The Rite of Spring by Pina Bausch will be presented with 36 dancers from 14 African countries. Created in 1975, this extraordinarily powerful work of Tanztheater remains one of the pinnacles of 20th-century dance. Now passed on to a new generation of dancers it takes on a renewed energy. Set to the music of Igor Stravinsky, performed live by the orchestra Les Siècles, this revival is part of a transmission process led by Tanztheater Wuppertal. Pina Bausch’s visceral choreography, her unique way of evoking raw emotion through movement, merges here with dancers who carry with them multiple stories.

Two major artists, two monumental works. One evening to unite the past, present, and future of dance, in a single breath of transmission and creation.

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