Show Description

'Dandyism' is a statement of how African cultures have and continue to influence Western cultures.

Dandyism dance is inspired by the gentlemen of the Congo (La Sape). The appropriation of the 18th Century French and English Dandy’s flamboyance by African men was a defence and a provocation against slavery, described by some as a resistance movement, which by the 1960’s had become a phenomenon.

Through a celebration of individuality and drive for visibility, this piece embodies the raw and unrefined energy and expressive dynamism of various and diverse cultures from the African continent presented through dance and theatre.

'Dandyism' represents the ever-evolving circle of influences and appropriation as a form of empowerment in both western and diasporic communities. The focus for the work is to celebrate life and cool, as well as express a concern for humanism, gender and identity in our increasingly divided society.