Back to Kidal

Through song and movement,*Back to Kidal*brings the history of Africa to life: set to the sound of the blues, and expressed through the performers’ bodies and narratives, a collective story of pain, dignity, and the longing for freedom unfolds.

Back to Kidalis a modern epic that tells the story of the journey toward freedom and self-determination. At its core is the question of how the contemporary history of African peoples can be told. Serge Aimé Coulibaly explores the effects of slavery, colonialism, and cultural erasure through the human body and music.

The performance is loosely inspired by the documentary*Soundtrack to a Coup d'État*(2024), which explores the assassination of Patrice Lumumba and the role of jazz as a political instrument during the Cold War. This story resonates in the background, where music becomes both a means of power and a dissenting voice.

The common language of the performance is the blues. This musical style, which has its roots in West Africa, was brought to America by enslaved people and evolved into a universal expression of pain, dignity, and resistance. Patrick Kabré has been working with the sound of Sahel blues for years. His voice is warm and rich, shifting effortlessly between tradition and the here and now.

Faso Danse Théâtre blends dance, live music, text, and video into a form of physical theater that gets under your skin. The lyrics by Koulsy Lamkos are recited by Odile Sankara, while composer Yvan Talbot (Doogoo D) weaves these voices, sounds, and rhythms into a constantly evolving whole.

A production by Faso Dance Théâtre in co-production with Montpellier Dance, DE SINGEL Antwerp, Charleroi Danse, and Ruhrtriennale.

With the support of the Flemish Government. With thanks to Leietheater Deinze (BE).