In Search of Happiness
A great instigator of enthusiasm and a magnet for international crowds, Georges Momboye enjoys special treatment in this edition dedicated to Africa at the Oriente Occidente Festival, presenting two shows. Indeed, no one better embodies today's prototype of the "globalized" African dancer-choreographer who, drawing from diverse experiences in the Western world, has not only internalized them but also reintroduced them alongside his cultural heritage to create a polished stylistic blend of myriad flavors, captivating audiences who often fall in love with his company at first sight.
Born in Ivory Coast with a notable choreographic talent, Momboye easily rose to prominence. He became a teacher of African dance at the young age of thirteen, then left Abidjan to dance with Alvin Ailey in New York and in France with Brigitte Matenzi, Rick Odums, and Gisèle Houri, spanning from jazz to classical to various contemporary techniques. Georges had not yet moved to France, as he would later to establish his own company after UNESCO commissioned him for his pioneering work in new African dance. He titled it "La Paix," bringing together fifty dancers from the African continent, and its success propelled him forward: in 1992, he founded his namesake group in France, composed of dancers, musicians, and singers mostly from national ballets in Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Guinea, and Senegal.
Always inspired by the passion and beauty of African choreographic tradition, Momboye created his first piece for children, "Djelaouli Zaouuli," which won the first prize at the Tradition Afrique Orientale association in Grasse in 1993. He continued his unstoppable journey with works such as "Au commencement était le Tambour" (1994), "Kamanda, qu'en penses-tu?" presented at the Lyon Dance Biennale dedicated to Africa, "Waatisera, il est Temps de…" (1998), "Adjaya," "Tahaman," a small piece for nine dancers based on the dialogue between African dance and hip hop (2001). "M’Ban Yoro," a solo in which he himself is the performer, successfully toured to Sadler’s Wells in London and continues to be in demand internationally. Finally, there's "Boyakodah," a piece for fourteen dancers and musicians, which marks Momboye's entry into the vibrant, challenging, and distinctly Russo-European world of the Ballets Russes ("Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un Faune" and "Le Sacre du Printemps").
Born in 2004, "Boyakodah" (in the language of West Ivory Coast means "happiness in war") pays homage to human creation and the Creator's ability to choose happiness. It involves seventeen dancers, characterized by highly rhythmic and non-rhythmic steps, melodies and their opposites—a true pyramid that combines full-body movements and hand gestures, technical elements and everyday gestures in a wholly physical space, illuminated by significant, almost carnal lights. Momboye incorporates two symbolic objects: the mortar and pestle, symbols of complementarity, procreation, strength, and harmony. In his performance, he seeks a balance between presence and absence, pauses and explosions, evoking the aspiration for happiness and pleasure.
