A joint creation with choreographer Jared Onyango
Every morning they walk to work. The walking itself is work. They all walk. Somewhere. In Nairobi to the Matatu bus, in Berlin to the underground station. The waves of people, the human queues, the masses that carve their way into the map of a city, day after day. Many try to avoid walking, inventing a job closer to home, recycling the work of others, breaking the cycle.
The Kenyan-German dance production JUA KALI by Jared Onyango and Lea Pischke examines the daily walk of citizens in Nairobi and Berlin. It inspects how the political conditions of a city can influence such a typically human activity. In JUA KALI, bodily locomotion is taken up as a universal motif, as a paradox of both unity and solitude within the midst of a group.
#agonistics
#recycling
#my_walking_is_my_working
Choreography: Jared Onyango, Lea Pischke
Dance: Jack Bryton, David Pallant, Lea Pischke, Antonio Carta (Mali)
Sound Design: Lea Pischke, Ron Bracht
Lighting Design: Reinier Martínez Badilla
Costumes: Alice Fassina
Tailoring Performance, Dar es Salaam: Lusajo Douglas Mwakalukwa
Tailoring Performance, Bamako: Jean-Kassim Dembélé
Tailoring Performance, Nairobi: Gilbert Kadenge Baya
Tailoring Performance, Berlin: Alice Fassina
Props, Dar es Salaam: Acley Mwalusamba
Props, Bamako: Abdoulaye Yampa
Props, Nairobi: Meshack Oiro Mak Ong’onga
Props, Berlin: Adil Hüsrev Tepe
Production: Dominik Feistmantl
Production assistance, Mali: Marico Adama
Tour Management: Rania Mavriki, Cultopia
Video documentation, Tanzania: Suleiman Bakari, Reinier Martínez Badilla
Photography, Tanzania: Aladdin Hamisi
Video documentation, Mali: Kani Sissoko, Reinier Martínez Badilla
Video Documentation, workshop Nairobi: Mohamed Ayieko
Video Documentation, Berlin: Michela Filzi, Valentin Braun
Video Editing, Mali: Giacomo Corvaia
Music Sources:
Sound of Nairobi – The city’s sound archive
Field recordings: Lea Pischke, Jack Bryton
Voice recordings: Jack Bryton, David Pallant, Lea Pischke, Marico Adama (Mali)
Sewing machine
PRODUCTION:
The production was funded by the International Co-Production Fund of the Goethe-Institut, the Capital Culture Fund Berlin and Goethe-Institut Kenia.
The touring to Kenya was supported by the NATIONALES PERFORMANCE NETZ Touring Fund Dance International, Munich, funded by the Commissioner of the German Government for Culture and Media
In cooperation with tak Theater Aufbau Kreuzberg, Goethe-Institut Kenia, Kuona Trust Nairobi,
Theaterhaus Schöneweide and Streetware Saved Item.
TOURING:
The tour to Tanzania is supported by the Goethe-Institut Tansania. The inviting partner is Marafiki Festival.
With heartfelt gratitude towards Isack Abeneko, our inviting host in Tanzania, to Mpangi Otte, Firdaus Yunus Mbogho from Goethe-Institut Tansania, towards Babacash, Kikombe Beat and Acley Mwalusamba for their skillfulness and patience, the entire team at ASEDEVA, Fatouma the cook from the canteen for making sure we stay fed, all the dancers from the workshop – their energy and engaged attitude!
And finally: a thank you to all the Bolt drivers and Dala Dala conductors for helping us navigate.
Asante sana!
The tour in Mali was supported by the Goethe-Institut Burkina Faso and sponsored by Zuri Health Kenya.
In cooperation with Festival BAM!, Association Copier Coller, Siby, and Centre Togola, Bamako. With heartfelt gratitude towards Tidiani N’Diaye, our inviting host in Mali, and Karim Togola, director of Centre Togola.
