Ula Sickle, Daniela Bershan, Popaul Amisi Popaul, Jeannot Kumbonyeki Deba, Joel Makabi Tenda: KINSHASA ELECTRIC

Photo: Bart Grietens

Hypermobility as the side product of the internet and new technologies has a tremendous effect on culture. Millions of creative expressions constantly circulate along the real and virtual reality. They meet, their paths cross, they form synergies… Increasing mobility may indeed lead to cultural prosperity, but it equally so leads to poverty. We see similar generic models emerge all over the world – songs, dance steps and lifestyles. Kinshasa Electric is thus more of a product than a reflection of this ambiguous development.

The Polish-Canadian choreographer and dancer Ula Sickle has been working regularly in Kinshasa since 2008 and has now decided to invite Congolese dancers and a German-Israeli visual artist and DJ to create a performance together. The performance thus blends international rhythms with the Kinshasa music and dance scene, whereas choreography was used to unfold the arena of division, setting apart the popular and the elite culture, art and trade, authenticity and reproduction in the globalised world of today.

Concept, direction: Ula Sickle
Creation, performance, style: Popaul Amisi, Daniela Bershan, Jeannot Kumbonyeki Deba, Joel Makabi Tenda
Music: Baba Electronica (Daniele Bershan)
Production: Caravan Production
Co-production: Noorderzon

As part of the Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts Exodos. 
More information: www.exodosljubljana.si