In his brilliant production with rock flair, choreographer DeLaVallet Bidiefono brings Kimpa Vita to life. She campaigned for the independence of her country, for freedom and for all women fighting against oppression. But the prophetess was arrested, accused of heresy as a witch (‘sorcière’) and burned at the stake in 1706. She also acted against the predecessors of the political colonizers: the missionaries.
Sorcières / Kimpa Vita is a tribute that unites the struggle of strong women and conquerors of the past with the present. The dancer Florence Gnarigo embodies the martyr with eruptive power. In the text by author, director and actor Dieudonné Niangouna, Kimpa Vita moves across a battlefield on which her steps gradually become more confident as the sandy ground becomes littered with glowing ash. Madagascan singer Dina Mialinelina and bassist Benoît Lugué (France) accompany her on her journey with an overwhelming sound.
DeLaVallet Bidiefono was born in the early 1980s in Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo – in a neighborhood where the word “contemporary art” did not exist. In 2001, he moved to the capital Brazzaville and began his career as a dancer, where he took part in a choreographic research workshop organized by the French Cultural Centre. He founded the Baninga company, which became internationally renowned in 2008. DeLaVallet Bidiefono’s work is influenced by Africa, Europe and America. His artistic collaborations are numerous, in particular with David Bobbée, David Lescot and Dieudonné Niangouna. In 2013 he was invited to the Festival d’Avignon. He has been an associated artist at several renowned cultural institutions and now lives between Paris and Brazzaville. Since 2015, he has provided strong impetus in Brazzaville with the construction of Espace Baning’art, the first independent venue for artistic creation in Congo. For him, this is an opportunity to support artistic projects in their development – in a country where there is hardly any cultural policy or public cultural funding.
CONCEPT AND CHOREOGRAPHY DeLaVallet Bidiefono | WITH Florence Gnarigo (dance) Dina Mialinelina (vocals) and Benoit Lugué (music) | TEXT Dieudonné Niangouna | STAGE DESIGN Estelle Duriez | LIGHT CREATION Stéphane “Babi” Aubert | SOUND CREATION Marvin Jean | STAGE MANAGER Cléo Konongo | TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT Martin Julhès | TRANSLATION / TRANSLATION Panthea PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION Emilia Petrakis, Philippe Naulot | DIRECTOR Jérémie Damamme, Philippe Naulot | CO-PRODUCTION The Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Le Festival de Marseille, Les Passerelles / Pontault-Combault, Le Théâtre-Cinéma de Choisy le Roi | SUPPORT FOR THE REHEarsal RESIDENCY Théâtre Jean Lurçat/Scène Nationale d’Aubusson, Le Lavoir Moderne Parisien | SUPPORT FOR THE CREATION DRAC Ile de France, Région Ile de France, Département du Val de Marne