EVENT : <<FEMME PROJECT TRAVELS TO THE 16TH EDITION OF CORPS ET GESTES IN YAOUNDÉ>>

FEMME PROJECT travels to the 16th edition of Corps et Gestes in Yaoundé through the Support and Connect Travel Grant Through GOETHE INSTITUT, the idea of the project is a brainchild of Pearse Olufemi Tolulope in collaboration with Nigerian artists, Rasheed Ibrahim (Dance Artist), Oluwaseun Eniayo (Soundscape) and Segun Adefila (Choreographer).

The 16th edition of Corps et Gestes in Yaounde, directed by Dr. Annie Tchawack is an international dance festival which aims to gather the best dancers and choreographers of Africa in diverts platforms such as: training, international encounter meetings, debates, showcase, performances and tourism themed: Woman and Trauma-Healing. Dancers and women from around Cameroon were invited for a Residency Dance Workshop of 3 hours intensive workshop daily with the dancers, that started at the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Center (National Museum) Yaoundé and had the final session of the workshop at Laboratoire Othni Studio. The idea of the workshop is to create a site-specific dance piece, performed on the street opposite Alliance Francaise popularly called “Avenue Kennedy”, Yaoundé, and serving as one of the major highlights of the 16th Edition of Corps E Gestes. The residence dance workshop is an extensive plan to foster a collaboration between Pearse Olufemi a recipient of Support and Connect Initiative Grants, Rasheed Ibrahim a collaborator, facilitator of the workshop. Dr. Annie Tchawack and Pearse Olufemi will be selecting 3 Cameroon dancers to collaborate with 2 Nigerian dancers respectively to create a Dance Piece for the next edition of Corps E Gestes in 2025 in extending it prospective partnership and collaboration with Central-African Festival and opportunities.

Pearse and Dr. Annie Tchawack the festival director facilitated a workshop with women at GABBY FITNESS CENTER, where they engaged in Yoga Training and Dance Workout sessions of an Hour, as a process of healing, after which some of the women reacted positively towards the initiative and engaging in conversation. The session was scheduled for only 22nd November 2024, but the interest increased based on the outcome of the first session, whereby request for another session was granted and held on the 23rd of November 2024. Dr. Annie Tchawack further initiated a Q&A session during the workshop, asking Pearse on the importance of the workshop, he responded by saying; yoga training and dancing is a form of therapy engaging both the body and the mind at the same time to help participants build and regain self esteem/expression and confidence. Some of the dancers expressed their appreciation of the outcome of the workshop, performed opposite Alliance Francaise, where they delve into dance concentration techniques and its importance to choreographic process, the dance piece elaborates on the need for us as Africans to be unified and not be divided by language, colour and distance.

Considering the dance project “FEMME” showcased on the final day of the Festival at Espace Othni, Yaounde, Pearse believes that its going to spark reactions, raise questions and eventually reflect on the subject matter, to then bring the audience into the performance. FEMME is an intellectual interrogation on the convictions and beliefs of human perception about gender, which inform the intensified movement forms, reflecting auditory experience of complex interplay in masculinity and femininity.

The societal expectations and cultural norms have a role in shaping the experiences of men and women in the society, it is an essential discussion as gender roles or attributes has a major part in assessing the gender that is more likely to hold a leadership position and making decisions based on the cultural norms. Traditionally, men are expected to be bold, strong and assertive hence, they are perceived as leaders and protectors. While women are expected to be soft, polite and accommodating which plays a crucial role in the societal expectations of women in disproportionately limiting their capacity to participate in leadership positions.

The concept of the piece is quite evident that the psychological or rational expression – is without a break concerned about the issue of masculine and feminine being gender-based, rather than focusing on becoming good as human beings. The conversation of what a man and woman is? will become a conversation engaging the dance artists and audience in investigating how the concept of “Femininity” and “Masculinity” has been generally flawed, viewed and portrayed.

Pearse Olufemi collaboration in bringing this dance piece to fruition, is to continuously build links with artists and organizations throughout Africa, leveraging on the dance project to foster artistic collaboration across the Arts and Culture landscape in Africa.

Rémy MEVA’A

BOBOH HOUSE MEDIA

The culture 237, is us!🛖🇨🇲