In Deus Nos Acudi Mozambican choreographer Pak Ndjamena explores how traditions determine our attitudes towards others. What are our physical and emotional possibilities of finding freedom and security in a world of traditions, symbols, consumer culture and racial differences. A world as it was formed during colonial history.

Pak Ndjamena asks himself the question whether our body is free or is it controlled and bound. Is our body original and autonomous or are our body’s experiences and identity influenced by the cultural pattern in which we find ourselves. To what extent is our body influenced in its movements, posture and reactions to the environment by traditions, oral traditions, symbols and manuscripts that all surround us. In his dance, he expresses fierce issues of racial identity, tradition, ritual and doubt.

‘There are moments when everything is black and we cannot see, we feel life as a deep dream. When we wake up, we are a body in a physical world with traditions, symbols, rituals in which we feel feelings of fear, pain, alienation but also belonging. In which racial differences give power to some people and marginalise others’.

Pak Ndjamena: Deus Nos Acudi is the live dance version of a dance film previously made by Ndjamena.

Credits

Choreography: Pak Ndjamena
Dance & performance: Pak Ndjamena
Light: Caldino Alberto Perema
Lenght: 40 min

ROTTERDAM | MAASPODIUM
Thu 5 October, 19H30

AMSTERDAM | FRASCATI
Sun 8 October, 21H30

ROTTERDAM | THEATER ZUIDPLEIN
Thu 12 October, 19H30