g r oo v e

g r oo v e is a solo performance by Soa Ratsifandrihana that brings together images and intimate dances. Among them, the Afindrafindrao dates from the 19th century. Typically “gasy”, this dance comes from the same red island Soa is also from: Madagascar. She also sketches a few steps of Madison, the first choreography she learned, popularised in the 1960s with Al Brown, an Afro-American singer. She also nods to Pepito, a popping dancer whose stylized quarter-turns she admires... In short, g r oo v e takes the form of a collage of references quoted and then transformed. The choreographic challenge here is to assemble and articulate them skillfully, to the benefit of an energy that progresses throughout the piece.