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ENOWATE

Winner of the 2023 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance

A dancer of extraordinary power and grace, Dickson Mbi summons multiple identities in this mesmerising solo performance inspired by a life-changing journey to his ancestral home in Cameroon.

The symbolic presence of a two-headed snake, the tiger whose roar vibrated as part of a funeral ritual, the knowing touch of a blind elder … it was these unnerving encounters that profoundly affected the London choreographer during a recent trip to his family’s village. They have all brought him closer to the animistic practices of his African heritage and to the mystical place where they meet with his modern East End upbringing.

Enowate, meaning ‘truth stands’, draws on sinuous elements of hip-hop and contemporary dance in combination with original music and otherworldly animated projections. In asking the relatable question, ‘who am I?’, he connects with enigmatic forces to reveal himself and emerge from the shadows.

Co-commissioned by: Sadler's Wells, The Barbican, Dance East & The Lowry

Supported by: Arts Council England, Complicité, Daniel Bailey & The Bush Theatre

Choreographer & Performer - Dickson Mbi

Artistic Consultant & Producer - Farooq Chaudhry

Mentor - Simon McBurney

Lighting Designer - Lee Curran

Composer - Roger Goula

Movement Asistant- Kenny Wing Tao Ho

Animation - Nick Hillel & Adam Smith (Yeast Culture)

Visual Artists - Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones

Costume Design - Daniel Lismor

Vocals - Ntunja (Universal Records)

Voices - Patrice Naiambana, Michael Ajao, Sapphire Joy

Touring Production Manager/Re-lighter - Fabian Bleisch

Touring Sound Engineer - Fred Defay

A powerful, mesmerising, haunting, disturbing piece of work.

- The Wonderful World of Dance Magazine
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