Bouchra Ouizguen assembles performers, singers and musicians rooted in the Moroccan folk tradition of the country's south. The voices, the singing and the music compose a score that evokes the aura of an ancient choir. Through their gestures, the women evoke transient and vanishing moments: But how can loss be synonymous with joy? Can vanishing pause time and liberate us from its firm grasp? Ouizguen transforms the stage into a setting where diverse eras and histories come together, constructing a choreographic and acoustic spectacle for a shared, timeless experience.
In collaboration with Culturescapes 2023 Sahara.
Duration: 60 minutes
Q&A after the performance on 29.11.
Biography
Marrakech-based Bouchra Ouizguen cultivates a personal, unique and inspired form of choreographic expression that is far removed from Western contemporary dance. For more than a decade, she has worked with women performing at traditional festivals with her charismatic presence and powerful singing voices. As folk artists from southern Morocco who embody part of the country's cultural heritage, they carry a form of joyful freedom that is at odds with society's gender, cultural and racial biases.
By inviting them into the contemporary dance scene, Ouizguen brings together past and present, tradition and modernity. By sharing their respective experiences as women and artists, the choreographer enters into an alliance with them to put difference to the test - but without violence, through serenity, complicity and generous respect for human dignity.
Credits
Artistic Direction
Bouchra Ouizguen
Dancers and singers
Milouda El Maataoui, Bouchra Ouizguen, Halima Sahmoud, Joséphine Tilloy
Light
Sylvie Mélis
Sound
Chloé Barbe
Administration, Production
Mylène Gaillon
Production
Compagnie O
Co-production
Festival Montpellier Danse, Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Les Spectacles vivants – Centre Pompidou (Paris), AFAC (Arab Fund for Art and Culture), HAU Hebbel am Ufer (Berlin), Cultural Foundation – Abu Dhabi, ERT Emilia Romagna Teatro
Support
Mit der Unterstützung von Fondation d’entreprise Hermès im Rahmen von New Settings