70 Years Old and Unrelenting, Germaine Acogny Takes Two Signature Solos To Hong Kong
Germaine Acogny is in her 70s and there are no signs her love for the stage will relent any time soon. Her solo Tchouraï, created in 2001 and choreographed by Sophiatou Kossoko, has been enjoyed by audiences in Europe, the US and China. In it, you can see Acogny, dressed in a robe and carrying a cane, in a series of dramatic moves. The performance is rich in symbolism, including in one scene where she carries a mask while wearing a solemn expression on her face. Each of Acogny’s performances represents a world view that comes from having lived through a storied life.
ALSO READ: Meet MaWhoo, The Young Musician Fighting Femicide In South Africa
“Tchouraï is about being born again,” she explains, “and also to fight against people who come to get me down. The mask represents the idea of death; I’d like to be not afraid of death. I try to fight, but not to be sad about it. It’s very powerful.”
She will be performing two signature solos: Somewhere at the Beginning and Mon élue noire-sacre # 2 (My Black Chosen One) at this year’s World Culture Festival by Leisure and Cultural Services Department, titled Vibrant Africa.
Responses