Framing the experience of the black diaspora through dance
A powerful dance duet exploring ethnicity, identity, and the experience of the black diaspora will be performed on Leeside this weekend.
Tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday, Nigeria-born Irish choreographer and performer, Mufutau Yusuf, brings his new work ‘Impasse’ to the Firkin Crane in Cork city.
Performed with Lukah Katangila, Yusuf’s latest work confronts the biased narratives etched onto black bodies throughout history, using raw physicality and emotional intensity to lay bare narratives steeped in cultural imperialism, violence, exploitation, marginalisation, and powerlessness. By challenging the historical racial projections of blackness – its crudeness, threat, sexuality, rage, and immorality –Yusuf attempts to unveil its power, grace, sensuality, tenderness, intelligence, and love.
The two Cork shows are part of an international tour that will travel to Lyon in France and as far as Lagos in Nigeria, Yusuf’s place of birth.
Commenting on the performance, Yusuf said: “I feel it’s important that people across Ireland are exposed to dance works of this nature – a work that frames the experience of the black diaspora through striking visuals and movement.”
Since it was first performed at a number of events and festivals this year, ‘Impasse’ has been getting rave reviews.
The Irish Times wrote: “Walls are more challenging to break down when you seem powerless, and memories too painful. The emerging choreographer dancer Mufutau Yusuf, in ‘Impasse’, his compelling, impressive premiere, was looking at the representation of black body, as slave, migrant, subject discrimination.”
A graduate of Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance in Austria, Yusuf is a dancer with Ultima Vez in Belgium and in Ireland with Liz Roche Company, John Scott’s IMDT, United Fall, and Catherine Young Dance, to name a few.
As a choreographer, Yusuf debuted his first full-length work ‘Òwe’ in 2022, which premiered in New York and Dublin Fringe Festival.
He is an associate artist with Solstice Arts Centre and Liz Roche Company and a recipient of the Irish Arts Council Dance Bursary award 2020 and Project Award 2022 and 2023.
His passion for improvisation and sharing has brought him to share his teaching practice to various platforms, festivals, and institutions.
Yusuf is also a co-curator of ‘TW1’ (Train With One), a bi-monthly workshop platform which aims to bridge the gap between the Irish contemporary dance scene with that of continental Europe.
‘Impasse’ is funded by The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Culture Ireland.
It was commissioned by Liz Roche Company and supported by Solstice Arts Centre, Dance Cork Firkin Crane, Irish Arts Centre New York, Ultima Vez, Dublin Dance Festival, Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre, Maison de la Danse, Lyon, Le Pôle Européen de Création, and Centre National de la Danse.
‘Impasse’ will be performed on 25 and 26 October at Firkin Crane. Tickets €15 and €12 for concessions.
The show begins at 7.30pm on both evenings.
Audiences are advised that the show contains loud music, strobe lighting, and nudity.
For more information and to book tickets, visit dancecorkfirkincrane.ie.