Nigeria’s population is overwhelmingly young, and unemployment is high. Amidst the hardship, dance is a popular creative outlet, and many young Nigerians share their talents through videos on social media.
In 2014, Qudus Onikeku returned to his home city of Lagos, having achieved acclaim as a choreographer in France. He was inspired by the abundance of creative talent, and invited some dancers to a workshop. The workshop grew into a school, and the Q Dance Company is a creative home for the school’s graduates.
The rehearsal period began with an improvisation session. Onikeku instructed the dancers to allow their bodies to take the lead, and let the dance pass through them. Throughout the session, Onikeku sketched, and he refined the ideas to devise the piece. The resulting choreography feels raw and animalistic, like pure human experience.
The highly physical dance showcases the athleticism of the young performers. The narrative is complex, but is structured around the birth-death-rebirth cycle as understood in Yoruba culture. The birth chapter includes jubilant celebration, with movements that can be explosive or sensual, but there are also stories of violence and desperation. In the death section, dancers are coated with white chalk dust that creates undulating clouds as they move to the percussive music. There is a lot here about struggle, but also a scene that made me think of harvest time. In rebirth, dancers are coated with shiny black body paint that looks amazing under the lights. One dancer wears a horned headdress, and he dances in front of the group, but the lighting is such that his shadow towers above the others like a vengeful god.
There is live music from percussionist Daniel Ifeanyi Anumundu, and multi-instrumentalist Simeon Promise Lawrence. The music sounds bigger than the two of them, befitting the epic narrative.
I was drawn in by the vast scope of this piece. To me, it felt both Nigerian and international. The group took me on a journey through time, space, and the human psyche. I hope that the Q Dance Company continues to grow, providing opportunities to even more amazing young artists, and bringing exciting dance performance to audiences everywhere.
Reviewer: Wendy McEwan
Reviewed: 18th October 2024
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