The Marrabenta Solos, explores a crisis of identity, deconstructs cultural representations of a “pure” African body, particular, the Mozambican body. Since snatching independence from Portugal in 1975, Mozambique has been a land of social and political rifts which have seen an inflexible communist model gradually make way for a fragile democracy. The performance explores the idea of today’s African body: a post-colonial, plural body that has absorbed the ideals of nationalism, modernity, socialism and freedom of expression, My own body. The performance is accompanied by guitarist, who explores the marrabenta music, a musical form born in the 1950s from a mix of local and European influences, special a Portuguese guitar.
Choreography, dance: Panaibra Gabriel Canda
Music: Jorge Domingos
Texts: Panaibra Gabriel Canda
Light designer: Myers Godwin
Light operator: Aude Dierkens
Costumes: Mama Africa & Lucia Pinto
Administrative support: Jeremias Canda
Props: Panaibra Gabriel Canda with support of Gonçalo Mabunda
Music: structured and inspired by Marrabenta music from Mozambique- composers, and “povo que lavas no rio” by Amalia Rodrigues- composer J. Campus Some important Marrabenta composers analyzed: Fany Trio, Fany fumo, Gatika, Albino Mandlaze, Xidiminguana, Feliciano “Pachu” Gomes.
Production: CulturArte (Maputo).
Co-production: Sylt Quelle Cultural Award for Southern Africa 2009 – Goethe Institut Johannesburg. With the support of: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Bates Festival, Panorama Festival, VSArtsNM. Special thanks to: Jesse Manno, Dan Minzer, Leah Wilks, Cynthia Oliver, Elsa Mulungo, Timoteo Canda.