Performance by Germaine Acogny & Mikaël Serre
Germaine Acogny, icon of contemporary African dance and recipient of the Golden Lion at the Biennale Danza, embarks on a tentative journey into the past with her poignant solo "Somewhere at the Beginning": to her origins and the ancestors who accompany her like shadows and witnesses.
Germaine Acogny's body tells a story of departure and return, of leaving the African continent, of life in European exile, and of coming home. The performance unfolds as a quiet dialogue between continents and the search for identity—never concluded, but always in a state of renewal. In the intimate direction of the Franco-German director Mikaël Serre, a space of remembrance opens up, placing the personal, the fragile, and the unfinished at its center.
The performance, which will have its Berlin premiere at Radialsystem at the end of May, marks the start of the UNEXPECTED LESSONS – Knowledges of Body and Sound series, running from May 2026 to February 2027.
The performances will be complemented by a multi-day accompanying program: In addition to workshops and an artistic encounter space, Radialsystem will present the Berlin premiere of the documentary film "Germaine Acogny – The Essence of Dance" by Greta-Marie Becker on May 25. The film will be released in cinemas across Germany on May 28.
Additional information
UNEXPECTED LESSONS 1
So., 24. Mai 202615 – 17 Uhr: „Contemporary African Dance“ – Workshop mit Patrick Acogny17 – 19 Uhr: „LA PALABRE Space“ – Tea, Reading & Resting Room mit künstlerischen Interventionen
Mo., 25. Mai 202618 – 20.30 Uhr: „LA PALABRE Space“ – Tea, Reading & Resting Room mit künstlerischen Interventionen19 Uhr: „Somewhere at the Beginning“ – Performance von Germaine Acogny20.30 Uhr: „Germaine Acogny. Die Essenz des Tanzes" – Film von Greta-Marie Becker
Di., 26. Mai 202618 – 20.30 Uhr: „LA PALABRE Space“– Tea, Reading & Resting Room mit künstlerischen Interventionen19 Uhr: „Somewhere at the Beginning“ – Performance von Germaine Acogny
Mi., 27. Mai 202614 – 16 Uhr: „Technique Acogny – Contemporary African Dance“ – Workshop mit Germaine Acogny (Ort tbc)
Participating artists
Germaine Acogny (Choreografie und Tanz)
Patrick Acogny (Choreografieassistenz)
Maciej Fiszer (Bühnenbild)
Johanna Diakhate-Rittmeyer (Kostüme)
Fabrice Bouillon “LaForest” (Musik)
Sébastien Dupouey (Video)
Nicolás Kretz (Video-Operator)
Sébastien Michaud (Lichtdesign)
Marco Wehrspann (Technische Leitung)
Togoun Servais Acogny, Aloopho, Germaine Acogny, Euripides (Medea), Bearbeitung von Mikaël Serre (Text von)
Mikaël Serre (Konzept und Regie)
Dates
May 2026
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