Article 15 refers to a well known unwritten philosophy in Congo Brazzaville: débrouiller vous (fend for yourself). It speaks to self reliance, resourcefulness and the daily art of survival. Choreographer Florent Mahoukou uses this as the starting point for a dance performance in which young performers from Brazzaville’s contemporary dance scene show themselves to be a generation refusing to be limited by the circumstances in which they grow up.
On stage, beer crates, symbols of consumption and alienation, are constantly transformed and given new meaning. They become shelters, rhythm instruments, building blocks and places of encounter. With perseverance, humour and ingenuity, the dancers move through a world that imposes limits, while imagination continues to open up new possibilities. Through resilience, creativity and the power of dance, they discover new ways of living in today’s world.
