Life is Life: Catching up with Denise Rowe

“I’ve never seen anything as fantastic, as vibrant, as joyous” Sheila Snellgrove, Director Barbican Theatre, Plymouth. (Describing the work of Tolo Ko Tolo)

ADAD Director, Jeanette Bain catches up with Denise Rowe (Trailblazer 2005/6) to talk about the re-launch of her company Tolo Ko Tolo along with collaborator Penny Avery. Tolo Ko Tolo performed their piece This Body at the ADAD Trailblazers 5 year celebration on March 20th, 2008. She characterizes the piece as ‘an expression of the fluctuating truths of one life's journey.’

Jeanette Bain
First things first What does Tolo Ko Tolo mean?

Denise Rowe
It means ‘Life is life’

JB
Does that sum up something of the vision of your company?

DR
Yes, we chose it because we wanted to create something that is what it is, without having to fit into any category of what it should be. It is what it is.

JB
And why have you chosen to re-launch your company now?

DR
Well, when we first launched the company we were both still studying. Last year I spent some time in Zimbabwe and Senegal doing some further training. Now we have a stronger team alongside us, we have more time to invest in the company and we are about to launch our website (www.tolokotolo.com).

JB
Ah how long did you spend in Zimbabwe and Senegal? What were you doing there?

DR
I spent 2 months in training in Senegal and then 6 weeks in Zimbabwe, where I also taught workshops and created a dance film called Field.

In Senegal I was working with Tamala Dance Company and Seyni Sow. I was learning various traditional dances from Guinea, Senegal and Mali including Jolla and Mandinka dances from the Cassamance region. The dances included Doundoun ba, Mandiani, Kotoba, Djambadon, Sunu and Djeneub. I learned about the traditional roles of the dances and some of the history of the region and I also learned contemporary choreography of traditional dances. I also spent two weeks focusing on wild Sabar Wolof dance styles.

In Zimbabwe I was with Grassroots theatre company, working with them on a children's arts festival raising awareness about HIV and AIDS called Sanganisai. I was teaching and I learned some Shona dances from members of the company including Chokoto, Mhande and Bire, which I love. I also made a documentary film about their festival (with very limited resources!)

I also spent some time in Mandere village just north of Harare, where I stayed with my Mbira teacher's Spirit medium and his very large family. I went here primarily to study the Mbira but also spent some time training in dance with Gilbert Mandere and teaching his young company.

We were focusing on his version of the Bakumba dance. As I mentioned, I created a short dance film called Field. It is centred around a beautiful field of very tall grass that everyone has to walk through to get water from the well, or go to the river, or visit their friends. The film has been shown at Bristol's Africa Eye festival. I'm always looking for places to show it.

When I was there I also spent time doing ceremonies for my ancestors and to ward of bad spirits. Those ceremonies and the world view behind them have had quite a profound influence on my life and my dance... but that's a whole other story!

JB
Wow, sounds like an incredible journey. You’re going to have so much richness to feed back into the company! How would you describe the aims of Tolo Ko Tolo?

DR
We’re a fusion dance company exploring contemporized pan-African dance forms.
We aim to make work which is accessible and honest, diverse and relevant, subtle and joyous!

JB
That’s very succinct! Have you started performing yet or are you still in studio making work?

DR
We did perform a full-length show in March. Next, we’ll be in Bristol at the Harbourside festival (August 2008). We’re now creating more work and plan to do another full-length performance in the Autumn of this year.

JB
Is there anything else that you’d like to add?

DR
Well, just to say that as a company, even though we’re exploring pan-African dance forms, we also make Contemporary work. We have a varied repertoire. We’re also available for performances and workshops.