Sankofa Danzafro

Detrás del Sur : Danzas para Manuel
Rafael Palacios

Detrás del Sur: Danzas para Manuel is a tribute to reknowned Colombian writer Manuel Zapata Olivella’s most acclaimed work, Changó, el Gran Putas, documenting the saga of the African Diaspora in the South American continent.

Detrás del Sur: Danzas para Manuel  is composed of five acts, mirroring the structure of Zapata’s novel. Through choreography and dramaturgy, the performance brings to life reckless omens, miraculous births, and libertarian rebellion; expressing the pain of losing connection with the motherland and the nostalgia that comes with the inability to return. The vicissitudes of enslaved men and women intertwine with the presence of their ancestors, their dead, and the orishas (West African deities) Yemayá, Elegba, and Changó, who forge their destinies.  Detrás del Sur: Danzas para Manuel celebrates the vital strength of the muntu (the African people) and their use of music and the body in motion as a ritual to invoke Changó, the protective deity of birth in the Yoruba tradition.

PRELUDE The Children of Miscegenation
Act 1  Rebel Blood
Act 2  Song of Yemayá
Act 3  Muntu
Act 4  Diáspora
Act 5 Unction

Good evening !

This week, dance takes us to the heart of the richness of Afro-Colombian culture with the arrival of the Sankofa Danzafro company! What a pleasure it is to welcome them and immerse ourselves in the universe of these artists, who have come from Medellín, Colombia, to share with us their roots, their lives, and their ancient myths.

With his creation, Detrás del Sur: Danzas para Manuel, choreographer Rafael Palacios pays tribute to legendary writer Manuel Zapata Olivella's (1920-2004) masterpiece, Changó el Gran Putas, which retraces the saga of the Black African diaspora in the New World. The dancers, accompanied on stage by three musicians, draw us into an engaging universe, where every sound and movement resonates with the energy of Afro-Colombian history.

We look forward to sharing with you an evening where past and present meet, and where dance, music and history intertwine to the rhythm of spellbinding melodies.

Enjoy the journey! Enjoy the show!

Pierre Des Marais — Artistic and Executive Director.

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Territorial Acknowledgement

Danse Danse acknowledges that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien’keha:ka Nation. We honour the continued presence of Indigenous peoples on the Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal) territory, which has long served as a meeting place for exchanges between nations. With respect for the links to the past, present and future, we thank the Indigenous peoples for reminding us of the importance of living in harmony with ourselves, with each other and with nature, and we are grateful for the opportunity to present works of living art at Tiohtiá:ke.

Good evening,

Sankofa Danzafro embodies the company’s collective quest to reclaim the meaning of Black dance, challenging narrow stereotypes and demanding to be seen and heard beyond limiting narratives perpetuated by colonialism and capitalism. Sankofa Danzafro is a platform for telling our own stories, questioning societal norms, and denouncing injustices through the power of dance. By reconnecting with our roots and understanding the present, we shape a future that honours our cultural heritage and empowers us as agents of social transformation. Tonight's show is a tribute to Zapata Olivella's Changó, el Gran Putas, exploring the Afro-descendant diaspora in the Americas. Through dance and storytelling, we depict the struggles and triumphs of enslaved Africans, as well as their relationships with ancestors and orishas such as Yemayá, Elegba and Changó.

Join us for an intimate journey into the resilience and spirituality of those who endured slavery in the Americas, stay connected to Sankofa Danzafro in our movement towards self-expression, collective empowerment, and meaningful change through dance.

Rafael Palacios — Choreographer.

Choreographic direction Rafael Palacios.
Choreographic assistant Yndira Perea Cuesta.
Lights and set design Álvaro Tobón.
Costume design Diana Echandía.
Research advisor Carlos Correa.
Musical composition Juan José Luna Coha, Harold Enrique Tenorio & Kevin Leandro Cortes.

Musicians Juan José Luna Coha, Gregg Anderson Hudson Mitchell, Danny Mosquera Lemos.

Performers Yndira Perea Cuesta, Piter Alexander Angulo Moreno, Raitzza Nathalia Castañeda Torres, Diego León de los Rios Naranjos, Liliana Hurtado Hinestroza, Katerin Moreno Aguilar, Maryeris Mosquera Batista, Jhoan Andrés Mosquera Ibarguen, Sandra Vanesa Murillo Mosquera, María Elena Murillo, Estayler Osorio Fuentes, William Camilo Perlaza Micolta, Andrea Bonilla Ospina, Sandra Catalina Mosquera Moreno.

Thank you to Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo, 14th Book and Culture Festival, Plu con Pla, South Pacific Folkloric School Foundation TUMAC, Wangari Danza Afrocontemporánea, Nuevo Horizonte Music School - Tumaco, Afro-Colombian Integration House - Mayor's Office of Medellín, 4ESKUELA, Pedro Nel Gómez Museum, University of Manchester- England.

Premiere May 2021, in coproduction with Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo, Bogotá.