Projekt videoprojection

In the performance we have used videoprojections, not only as scenography but also as part of the choreography and history.

The more technique you use in a performance the more variables you also have that might decide to not cooperate. And all of a sudden you might find yourself in a taxi, burning a dvd while picking up a dvdplayer and hunting batteries to a remotecontrol, ten minutes before the show starts. Or on a festival in the middle of the night, everything drowned with condensed water, and next to a technician who conjures up new cables out of bits and sparepieces of headphones and old cables, literary speaking by the skin of his teeth. Maximum respect to the technicians of Africa!

Here's one of the videofilms we used in the performance. It's filmed both in Sweden and in Senegal - guess which beach is in which country...

Semafor videoclip

Here is a clip with Ege and Modou dancing the semafor with the videoprojections. The text which is recited in the play of voices is the first paragraph of the Declaration of the Human Rights. It is read in Jola, Manding, Wolof, Swedish, French and English.

They are also dancing the text; every move is a letter in semafor.

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience, and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

Now let's have some attaya!

Midnightgig at the festival in Kap Skirring

We're heading for Kap Skirring; a village focused on tourists and vacations.

We'll be playing at the festival together with various Senegalese artists; the latest mbalax/hiphopstars aswell as traditional dancers with masks.

Coming from Sweden - a country that hasn't had a war for over 100 years (depending on how you define things...) - it's difficult to understand the complexity of the situation in Casamance. Although it was calm in Ziguinchor the rumour had that it was problems on the road, with the gendarmerie and fights. After waiting for information, and discussion with the family and friends, we decided to go.

A few controls down the road, but no problems. Sun shining, oceanwaves soothing, and the salesmen on the beach as busy as ever. Later we got to know that the Swedish consulate strongly adviced not to go to Casamance. According to the news there were shootings and hard action not far from where we were staying. Although we didn't notice any explosions that explained the serious faces on the guards at the passportcontrols in and out of Ziguinchor. Complex world indeed.

Soundcheck!

When playing at 2 o clock in the morning; beware of the condens that drowns the stage aswell as computers and other electric equipment.

Maximum respect to the Anita Soundsystem! The best sound on the tour, and impressive technicians who seemed more like magicians, finding solutions to whatever the problem.

Attayamoment. Who said drinking tea isn't rock'n'roll?!

Casamance!

It's so good to be back in Casamance and Ziguinchor, where it all began last year!

Modou stays with his family, and the rest of us with the sweet family Cissokho.

Since the Cissokhos are a griotfamily we're enjoying kora, beautiful singing and sweet attaya under the starry sky in the night.

Being a roadproject we decided that Lalo, Manjang and Suleiman (all Cissokhobrothers), Papis and Mouctar (friends aswell as musicians) would also play in the performance.

Now that we had the chance we also took most of the day to do a proper soundcheck, and prepare all the scenography.

We even got the time to make a poster for the performance!

Modou warming up the audience together with Lalo and the others.

And here's a piece of crabdance for you!

It's not that common to see contemporary dance in Senegal, but the audience seemed to like it...

...and the end, where Modou and Ege invite the audience to attaya, became a successful surprise!

Aline Sitoue Diatta

Our friends Fatoumata and Fatoubintou (in the picture above) were ready for new adventures, so we took the ferry to Ziguinchor, Casamance. The ferry is named after Aline Sitoue Diatta (also called the Joan of Arc of Senegal), a leader in the fight against the French Colonialism.

This year, the 4th of April, it's the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Senegal.

Since the trip is partly out on open sea, and there's a change in altitude, the ship is prepared and well equipped for the ones in need...

But we had a very pleasant trip! The soundtrack of the ferry was of course Yossou N'Dour. And along some parts of the beautiful coast of Casamance dolphins came to escort and say hi.

Worldpremiere in Saint-Louis

It's time.

Early early in the morning we leave L'ecole des Sables and Toubab Dialaw to start our tour. We're heading for Saint-Louis where Alioune is from. Together with a teacher and students at Ecole Francaise he is working on a truly amazing project about movement and text, and what could be more suitable than to have our worldpremiere there?!

The car we carefully and responsably ordered turns out to be too small, so as a true roadperformance we split the group and get two adventures for the price of one. Halfway to Saint-Louis we meet up in a setplace driven by one of Aliounes friends.

There are still many things to plan and to fix for the tour and also back in Sweden, and during the trip to Saint-Louis the setplace acts office, meditationcentre, foodcourt and much more.

Finally there! The Magic Suitcase gets to do some sightseeing and new adventures in Saint-Louis on the way to the school.

Before the performance we visited Aliounes family, and had the most delicious Yassa poisson prepared by one of his sisters. It was so good that if I'm not wrong Matti even finished the pimont!

As warming up-acts we had various groups of young dancers and dj's performing.

Also Ege, Modou, Anna and Alioune treated the audience with an improvisation while Maria was preparing the technical stuff with some of the djs.

Finally it was time for Projekt Invitation. The photos are taken by Matti.

As a true premiere it was a bit chaotic, not least with the technique. Afterwards it turned out we had not only Senegalese audience, but also a man from Skåne in Sweden!

Here are Modou, Ege, Maria, Alioune and Maaike, celebrating the premiere.

And the party continues the day after, even though we sadly have to continue our tour to Casamance without Alioune, Maaike and Matti.

Finally full crew

Our other choreographer Alioune Diagne, has arrived! He's been on a quick tour in South Africa, and now he's ready for some serious Invitation and semafor. Besides his own performances and projects he's previously worked with Germaine Acogny, and also taken part in classes and workshops here. He seems to know everybody at the school, Toubab Dialaw, Dakar; well probably whole Senegal. Good for us and for the tour to come!