Opiyo Okach

Choreographer and dancer Opiyo Okach is the director of Gaara Dance Projects. He works between Kenya and France and performs globally. This blog posting includes three interviews with him. Opiyo Okach speaks on his current choreographic projects “Territories in Transgression” and reflects on his previous project “Shift Centre.” In addition he speaks on the Go [...]

Danse l’Afrique Danse! Mali 2010

Danse l’Afrique Danse in Bamako, Mali 2010 Danse l’Afrique Danse is a platform for African contemporary choreographers- emerging and established. It is a meeting place for choreographers, dancers, presenters, programmers, cultural workers, researchers, and local contemporary dance audiences. It is a competition and launching platform for “new” choreographers where three winners have a pre-programmed tour [...]

More than dance from Dakar, Senegal

Part of the Shifting Centers experience is focused on contemporary African dance; yet, in conjunction with this objective, the project is also focused on issues of accessibility, technology, and overall resources available to choreographers and artists in Senegal, Mali, Kenya, and Morocco. Here is a short clip that addresses some of the cultural context we [...]

D-clic Danse: Technology and Dance Workshop with Andreya Ouamba, Yann Leguey, and Esther Baker-Tarpaga

Trace from Dakar: Dance and Technology in and outside of Africa recently finished their work with D-Clic Danse, a dance and technology workshop directed by Andreya Ouamba. Check out our recent video highlighting activities explored in the workshop.  

Dakar, Senegal: Andreya Ouamba and Atelier Aex Corps

Dakar, Senegal: Video from Ateliers Aex Corps in Dakar, Senegal. This video highlights interviews with choreographers and workshop director Andreya Ouamba in addition to footage with dancer participants in the workshop. This is the fourth edition of Ateliers Aex Corps. Coming soon is a video of dancers interviews/footage and what types of Internet communication many [...]

Think Tank #1: ACCAD Lab The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA June 21, 2010

Madagascar Think-Tank #1: ACCAD lab, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA June 21, 2010 Esther Baker-Tarpaga held a face-to-face think-tank session with researchers and artists, Olivier Tarpaga, Norah Zuniga-Shaw, Vita Berezina-Blackburn, Matt Lewis, and Nicole Bauguss about the Shifting Center Project. From the hour and a half session the group discussed and brainstormed ideas [...]

Tech Questions

In our think tank today—opening the portal: A brainstorming session….learning from others 1. Models for cross tech exchange 2. Using social media 3. Low tech, low budget exchange 4. Alternative ways of viewing dance, dance via skype, 5. Trials and errors 6. Installation/stage/movement for camera/text- ways of viewing in cyber platform

Skype trials to do..

To try prior while in Burkina Faso this summer back to USA….Skype conversation/site specific improvisation  Can skype be recorded?  Trial conversations with Opiyo, Hind, Gaby, and Andreya via Skype….

Goals, Questions, Reflections, Personal, Border Policies, and Think Tank

June 19, 2010 at 1400h This is a Lab Based project that highlights collaborations and networks of support. This is a Process Based exploration. Working Goals (in dvpt) Raise visibility and awareness of Baker & Tarpaga Dance Project, whose work is focused on socially relevant dance theatre with a contemporary African influence. Raise visibility and [...]

What is Shifting Centers: Creative Collaboration in and outside of Africa through Cyberlearning and Ubiquitous Technologies?

Photography by Charles Kang Shifting Centers Cyber Dance Project Over the course of seven months, we’ll go to seven countries: Senegal, Mali, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Madagascar.  The American and African transnational traveling team will meet established African-based choreographers in their home cities and document the conversations and movement dialogues in a [...]