The vines wind their way crisscross through the rainforest—powerful, resilient, and always in motion. For his choreography, choreographer and dancer Zora Snake drew inspiration from the mighty vines of Cameroon’s forests. Like a living organism, the dance piece grows and winds its way across the stage. In the process, the struggle of the vines becomes a metaphor for the struggle for our shared future: for a conscious approach to our natural heritage, against the exploitation of nature, and against an unjust capitalist world order.
Music and movement merge into a powerful expression of resistance and solidarity—loud, intense, and unstoppable. The dancers’ bodies become mouthpieces for solidarity and renewal.
Following his production “Opéra du villageois” (2023) and the performative city tour “Decolonize the Streets” (2025), Zora Snake returns to Cologne with “Combat des lianes.” The piece opened the Biennale de la Danse en Afrique in April 2026 and has already been celebrated with standing ovations in Brussels.
“You can hear a pin drop; attention is at its peak, as are questioning and reflection.” (Inferno-Magazine.de)
CHOREOGRAPHY Zora Snake PERFORMANCE Zora Snake, Joy Alpuerto Ritter, Jessica Chiye Warshal, Zadi Landry Kipre, Gandir Prudence LIVE MUSIC Christiane Prince, Rokia Bamba SET DESIGN Jean Michel Dissake COSTUMES Lamyne M
An event presented by africologneFESTIVAL in cooperation with Depot Köln.
PRODUCTION: Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles. COPRODUCTION africologneFESTIVAL — supported by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Charleroi Danse, Riksteatern Stockholm, South North Foundation, Julidans Amsterdam, One Dance Festival Plovdiv, Theater Freiburg, Manège Maubeuge, and with support from the Institut Français Cameroon.
