Alliance Française Harare Hosts Dance Showcase on Resistance and Liberation

The Alliance Française of Harare will today transform into a vibrant stage for a powerful dance showcase titled Of Dances and Struggles. The performance, presented by French dance company Dans6T in collaboration with local dancers from the AfriKera Dance School, will explore dance as a tool of resistance, liberation, and cultural dialogue.

The event forms part of Dans6T’s Africa tour, which includes performances and workshops in Durban, Maseru, Namibia, and Bulawayo. In Bulawayo, the company will perform alongside the No Name Dance Crew at Alliance Française on August 30.

AfriKera Dance School founder and director, Marie-Laure Soukaina Edom, said the collaboration reflects the school’s commitment to cultural exchange. “AfriKera is always very open to collaborating with other dance companies, both locally and internationally. This time, we are targeting AfriKera students and the theme is Struggle and dance. For example, as homework, I asked the students to think about the steps of jiti and toyi toyi. This workshop is an exchange, a two-way interaction. We enjoy collaborating across different genres and not existing in a bubble. Cross-fertilisation is very much a part of my philosophy,” she said.

The Harare event takes the form of a dance conference. Two French dancers will move through a variety of styles with strong social and historical roots. Audiences will experience the high-energy rhythm of South African pantsula, the passionate storytelling of flamenco, the stylised poses of voguing, the expressive flair of waacking from Los Angeles, and the traditions of Oriental dance.

French dancer and choreographer Bouziane Bouteldja explained the concept behind the production. “The idea is to tell the story of dances born out of social struggles or liberation movements, but also those that emerged from migration and encounters between people,” he said. “The aim is to remind us of the role of dance in society, because it embodies values too often forgotten: the fight against discrimination, feminism, community living, emancipation and acceptance of one’s body.”

The interactive structure will also give the audience an opportunity to participate. Alliance Française de Harare director, Fanny Gauthier, said the event goes beyond performance. “The event is structured as a conference-style demonstration, woven together with a narrative that mixes personal and global history. The audience will also be invited to join the dance,” she said.

Of Dances and Struggles positions dance not only as an art form, but as a living record of social history and human resilience. By merging local and international talent, the showcase highlights how movement continues to serve as a language of resistance, solidarity, and cultural exchange.