ADAD and Pavilion Dance South West present Bloom, a festival celebrating dance from Africa and its Diaspora through performance, participation and discussion. This year the festival will explore the creativity and symbolism of carnival and masquerade: performative rituals, which are deeply rooted in African and Caribbean cultures.

Dancing on the terraces of Pavilion Dance in a full day of back to back workshops and performances, you will see:

Bagatai - " Land of the Baga" - Ballet Nimba

A high octane dance display from the Republic of Guinea coupled with potent musicianship, soaring vocals and outstanding percussion and rhythms. If you thought ballet was all about pirouettes, let these six dancers recalibrate your preconceptions. This is an energetic and highly acrobatic display of West African dance, the calibre of its accompanying musicians equalling that of its dancers, whether delivering furious percussive work-outs or embroidering their compositions with the undulating melodies of the balafon and Fulani flute. We guarantee it'll be the most frenetic and physical history lesson you've ever had.

The Baga lands are famous for being a region of secrecy and impenetrable initiation ceremonies. Director Idrissa Camara created “Bagatai” following a recent inspirational trip back to Guinea, to learn more about his father’s people. Idrissa wants to give us a small glimpse into this world but to also symbolise the iconoclastic events surrounding the mid-twentieth-century destruction of Baga art, culture and sacred masks that had defined their society for centuries. He also wanted to portray the indomitable spirit of the Baga and their attitude that the harm done by the missionaries was not great because the invisible spirit embodied by the masks and other objects could not be taken away or destroyed. As one Baga elder put it: “they wanted us to pray, and we only wanted to dance”.

Ballet Nimba are self-styled ambassadors for West African Art and culture in the UK. The company is led by the irrepressible Idrissa Camara of Guinea and its artists hail from several West African nations. Their music and dance is firmly rooted in the traditions of Guinea; telling the mythologies and history of the region using artistic choreography and traditional instruments in contemporary and original arrangements.

Ballet Nimba produces dynamic, compelling dance theatre with amazing musicianship and percussive beats that will astound you. Expect to hear the sounds of a Fulani flute, Ngoni, Bolon Bata, Kirin, Djembe, Wassaoumba and the Doundoun drums, with agile and acrobatic dancers.

Director Idrissa Camara:

"I’m passionate about being an ambassador for my culture. I love my country, my tribes, their mythology and strong music and dance traditions. I want to share my culture; we believe dancing makes you stronger, emotionally and physically. This is very important in Guinea to stay strong, for yourself, for your family, to make people happy because life there is difficult. I love dance because I found it when there was nothing else in my life. It’s who I am and has given me all my opportunities. I meet people and I travel and it’s something to be proud of as an African, as a Guinean. I want people here to know our strength, our identity, how Africa is when there’s not war or trouble."

Batch Gueye and Friends

We offered you a glimpse of Batch Gueye’s outstanding work at Bloom Bristol 2011 and now we are very excited to present a production by Batch with a full cast of sabar dancers and live musicians. This is a rare opportunity to see these Senegalese artists in their full glory and one not to be missed. Batch and his dancers possess an energy and virtuosity that never fails to astound and amaze. You will be transported to the sweltering streets of Dakar where the traditional is constantly being innovated by these incredibly creative and talented dancers.

Batch and his dancers will be presenting and sharing two dances: Kawlahk is a strong complex and fast paced rhythm, the name translates as ‘dance like a lion’ and it was traditionally a dance for the men. Fass is a slower softer dance with a very musical rhythm, it is a dance that brings good luck so the better you dance the luckier you get!

Batch Gueye is a Senegalese griot, steeped in the traditions of sabar music and dance. His energy as a dancer is as vibrant and colourful as the patchwork clothes of his Bayefall people. Like his music, his dance style is a collection of both traditional and modern African cultures, and his combination of strong and fast movement promises to be a striking display.

With a long line of performing artists before him, music and dance were always an integral part of Batch’s life and have surrounded him since birth. The griot’s duty is to keep culture, bear news, tell stories, entertain and educate their people just as the many generations before them have done.

From a young age Batch and his brothers took any opportunity to perform, dancing in music videos and at concerts regularly for some of Senegal’s leading singers, including: Youssou N’dour, Baba Maal, Cheikh Lo, and Coumba Gawlo. Batch came to Europe as a dancer with the hit show Afrika!Afrika!

Galang Crew

We are bringing you a very special treat this year: Sara Galan, Stockholm’s Dancehall sensation. Sara is well known for her creative, high energy, powerful and sometimes aggressive approach. She will give you Dancehall and Coupé Decalé with a touch of Kuduro all with her own sultry feminine touch. Sara plays with different emotions and expressions on stage to create an entertaining expression of her passion for dance.



Programme

Time	Event
12.30 - 13.30	Performances from Ballet Nimba Sara Galan and Batch Gueye
14.30 - 15.25	Workshop in Dancehall v African with Sara Galan
15.30 - 16.25	Workshop in Guinean Ballet with Idrissa Camara of Ballet Nimba
16.30 - 16.50	Performance from Batch Gueye and friends
17.00 - 17.55	Workshop in Guinean Ballet with Oumar Almamy Camara of Ballet Nimba
18.00 - 18.55	Workshop in Senegalese sabar with Batch Gueye
19.00 - 19.20	Performance from Sara Galan
19.30 - 20.25	Workshop in Dancehall v african with Sara Galan
20.30 - 21.25	Workshop in Senegalese Sabar with Batch Gueye
21.30 - 21.50	Performance from Ballet Nimba

Date: 20 July 2013
Time: 12.30pm - 9.50pm
Cost: Free

Venue: The terraces of Pavilion Dance South West, The Lower Gardens, Bournemouth, BH1 2BU