Byb Chanel Bibene & Kiandanda Dance Theater: Taboo and Heroes

“When war struck the Congo in 1997 my family and I fled Brazzaville to escape the chaos of the coup d’état. Kidnapped at one point, I thought they would shoot me from behind when let go, like so many others. Finally rejoining my parents and siblings, we had a terrible choice to make: either walk nearly 500 miles to get to Pointe‐Noire or try to find a place on a train already overcrowded with thousands of people.”

-Byb Chanel Bibene

Taboo and Heroes is a multimedia work that addresses the reality and consequences of violence and corruption through the specific experience of the war that overtook the Republic of Congo in the late 1990’s. Using dance performance and creative documentary film-making, choreographer Byb Chanel Bibene, joined by Kiandanda Dance Theater, narrates his personal experiences, in which hope was the only strength for survival. Bringing together dance and theater performers, an original music score, set design, and video elements, the piece aims to transport the audience into the charged atmosphere of conflict that permeated the Republic of Congo and continues to echo in Congolese life to this day.

Four years of process infuses this multiform work. Through his years of developing written and performance material, Byb has vacillated between choreographing for the stage version and finishing the script for the film rendition of this story. During this presentation, Byb will talk about his choreography process, his personal stories of being a war survival, what he witnessed, how war has impacted his home country, and how hope played a major role in keeping him and many others fighting for a better future and life. The evening will include footage of the process, shot in the Congo and the Headlands of Marin County, as well as live dance excerpts of the larger project. The night will conclude with a question-and-answer session accompanied by refreshments and Congolese specialties.

From my questioning of the sources and implications of conflicts came the impetus to create a performance work that could inspire active consideration of current events, in the belief that this is another step towards collective solutions to global problems. This work is intended to be a mobile, internationally viable project that can widely communicate its political initiative through the explanatory power of its emotional and kinetic journeys.

Stories behind a civil war that tore a country. An evening of food, film, performance, and discussion. This evening event will begin with a description of the Congo, its social environment and its brief political history. Then will follow the introduction of the project Taboo and Heroes that will be presented in five parts:

1st: The motive of the project (war and stories of victims and assailants), creative process in the Congo with a cast of Congolese dancers. We will share photos and videos shot in different locations of the Country.
2nd: Creative and performance process in the US with a cast of American dancers. We will share photos.
3rd: The film project: During the night we’ll discuss the need of shooting for a film. We’ll share the film trailer and photos and videos shot in the Marin Headlands.
4th: The event will culminate to an excerpt performance of the piece by the dancers.
5th: In the Congo we welcome our guests with food and drinks, here we mingle and we are open to your questions.

“This project is furthermore a turning point in my career as choreographer: it is an extensive, long-term undertaking, employing new creative approaches in my choreography and socio-political purpose. The fruition of this project will allow Kiandanda Dance Theater to establish itself significantly in its new home in the Bay Area.”
– Byb Chanel Bibene

Byb blogs about his process here and here.
Watch an excerpt of the performance.
RSVP on Facebook.

This work was developed through the CounterPulse Performing Diaspora Program with the support of the Ken Hempel Fund for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, San Francisco Arts Commission, and the Walter & Elise Haas Fund.

Dancers’ Group fiscally sponsors Taboo and Heroes. Taboo and Heroes is made possible through the generous support of the Zellerbach Family Foundation and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, CounterPulse, the San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco International Art Festival, Sean Carson & UC Berkeley, Sarah Lappas & CSUS Sacramento, and all individuals who have donated and supported the project.

Admission: $5-20. Doors at 6:30pm. Event at 7:00pm. All ages welcome.

Tickets will not be sold in advance for this event. Please arrive at the Red Poppy when doors open to purchase tickets.

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