The Southern Theatre will come alive with the rhythmic sound of drums and feet this weekend when Le Ballet National Du Senegal bounds to the stage to share its culture and love of dance with the people of Columbus.
Le Ballet National Du Senegal, a West African dance company, will present its show KUUYAMBA at 8 p.m. today at the Southern Theatre.
KUUYAMBA, choreographed by the company’s artistic director Bouly Sonko, is named after a word derived from the Mandigue culture. Using authentic music and dance, the show tells the story of the transition from adolescence to adulthood, dealing with topics such as circumcision, marriage and the harvest.
“The combination of the drumming aspect and the dance is quite phenomenal,” said Eleanor Oldham, a general manager for Le Ballet National Du Senegal’s tour.
Francois Diene, a member of the company, said in his village, dancers gather in a circle and the energy is very strong. When they are performing face front on stage, the drums help to keep the energy intense.
“The drums are very important to our country. The drums give energy to the dancer,” Diene said.
Besides the drums, other African instruments featured in the show are the Kora, a harp made from a large gourd, and the Balafon Dalinke, a xylophone-like instrument.
Diene said in Africa, the dancers start young. Most of the dancers in the company are 18-20 years old.
“We say in Africa the baby begins to dance in the belly of its mother,” he said.
Diene said dance is important to the people of West Africa.
“Without dance, my village is a dead village for me. The company is a mirror of our village. In our village, every day we dance and we dance for ourselves. Dance is about our lives,” he said. “If you come to the show you will gain an understanding of the meaning of our dance and our songs.”
The company was founded by poet and national leader Leopald Senghor in 1960, the year Senegal became independent from France.
Diene said other societies did not recognize the culture in Africa before Senegal’s independence.
“White man said that Africa had no culture. Our company was created to show white man that we have culture,” Diene said.
To become a part of the prestigious dance company, young dancers compete within their villages and the best dancers are chosen. After the competition, the winner must attend the National Theatre, a school that teaches all of the different ethnic groups’ dances.
Le Ballet National Du Senegal combines many West African ethnicities. When the dancers are chosen, it is important that they are able to dance with different ethnic groups.
“With all these differences, they can all come together in peace and harmony,” Oldham said.
She said because of the combining cultures and the remarkable talent, this show should visit everywhere in America.
“There is real euphoria about the show,” Oldham said. “You feel better after the show than you did when you came in.”
Diene said bringing his culture to people around the world has been very rewarding.
“Everywhere we perform, the audience claps. Even after we close the curtain,” Diene said.
Tickets range from $21.75-$31.75, and are half price for students that can show a valid ID. They are available at any Ticketmaster location or by calling 469-0939.
