‘Biennale de Danse’ inauguration marks start of international dance event   |22 August 2023

Ms Mogoje addressing the gathering (Photo: Sunny Esparon)

The inauguration ceremony of the ‘Biennale de Danse’ commenced with its first workshop yesterday morning at the National Theatre in Mont Fleuri.

Organised by the National Conservatoire of Performing Arts – School of Dance under the umbrella of the National Arts and Crafts Council (NACC), the event welcomed delegates from five countries who received gift bags to mark the occasion.

The theme for this year's 'Biennale de Danse' is 'water,' emphasising the significance of this vital element in the artistic exploration.

Pierre Joseph, director of the National Conservatoire of Performing Arts, acknowledged the pivotal roles played by their partners, highlighting their important contributions. He emphasised the resilience of the event despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We are now starting as if this is the middle of the programme, and it is our 10th edition, so we can safely say that we have been doing this for 20 years," Mr Joseph noted.

Acknowledging the dedication of the longstanding staff members and partners, he stated "we are a small team, there are only four or five of us working with the school of dance and I also have the school of music and drama, so doing an international event like that would not have happened without the help of our staff, everybody at the National Arts and Crafts Council."

For her part, Refiloe Mogoje, the main choreographer, expressed her honour at being given the opportunity to contribute to the ‘Biennale de Danse’. She has benefited from the sponsorship of a flight ticket.

She underscored the significance of the event in the context of ‘women's month’ in her home country, South Africa.

Ms Mogoje commented: "It is an honour because men have usually been the ones to be put on a pedestal."

With the theme 'Aqua,' Ms Mogoje highlighted the profound connection of water with human existence and the complexities it embodies. "Having to work with this powerful element such as water, it will be interesting," she noted.

Addressing the dancers, she conveyed her artistic philosophy of storytelling through movement, adding, "art is about having to share what we feel, tell the story to the best of our ability and that is what I am trying and willing to give out."

Also present at the official launch was Jimmy Savy, executive director of the National Arts and Craft Council, who welcomed the teams, encouraging them to engage in a collaborative exchange of talents, skills, and styles. "Enjoy our country," he concluded, expressing his anticipation for the event's final outcome.

Under the patronage of the tourism department, the 10th edition of this esteemed dance event is supported by various partners, including the Seychelles National Institute of Culture Heritage and the Arts (Snicha) and NACC.

Tourism department representative Amia Jovanovic-Desir expressed her appreciation for the collaboration and received a gift bag and a commemorative T-shirt.

The teams present in Seychelles for the event are Russia, Mauritius, Rodrigues and Congo, while Cuba’s team is following online.

Reflecting on their presence in Seychelles, the Russian team expressed their excitement and commitment to showcasing their talents on a global stage, stating “we hope that we can show you our talents and show the world what we can do."

The 10th ‘Biennale de Danse’ will go on till September 2, 2023.

Sunny Esparon