an [ im ] material space rooted in martinique/wanakaera functioning as an artistic and cultural research lab engaging togetherness and experimental pedagogy
SIANO
Ès mizik épi dansé fèt yenki pou anmizé ?
Ès mizik épi dansé fèt yenki pou anmizé ?
Does music and dance only exist to have fun ?
Phrasing from the movie Mantjé Tonbé Sé Viv ( Dancing the stumble ) by Senegalese and Martinican Director Wally Fall Ès mizik épi dansé fèt yenki pou amizé ? is both :
A space for care and a Practice-Lab coming with sonic experimentations.
The first edition of our Practice-Lab happened where our program was born in: Martinique at the Médiathèque Alfred-Melon Dégras, Saint-Esprit. We had the pleasure to welcome transdisciplinary artist and bèlè practitioner Siméline Jean-Baptiste who hosted an initiatory workshop into the ancestral practice of bèlè, where the learner was transported to the centre of their learning experience.
Learners were invited to be introduced to bèlè – a musico-choreographic practice born on the plantation during the slavery era. This introduction came as an invitation to connect individually but also collectively whilst practicing movements, the art of breathing in a conch shell in order to manifest unpredictable sound and listening while dancing through the rhythmic of the drum and Cha-Cha. This workshop was followed by the movie ‘ dancing through the stumble ‘ directed by Wally Fall. Together and in convergence with the attendees, we discussed extracted thematics from the movie such as: bèlè in the context of mental health and as an ecosystem, the current colonial occupation in our territories, music and its connection with spirituality and finally our relationship within our Africanity.
We are genuinely grateful for each participants for coming and participating with so much intentionality, for Kézyah Missoudan for capturing so beautifully this moment, for the whole team of the Médiatheque of Saint-Esprit for processing this first edition with us and finally I am grateful for you, Wally and Siméline, for jumping up with so much love for this project.
METKOW, Saint - Esprit, Martinique [ Médiathèque Alfred Melon Dégras ] workshop by Martinican transdiciplinary artist Siméline Jean-Baptiste and screening of Mantjé Tonbé Sé viv by Wally Fall
10.08.2024, Documentation by Kézyah Missoudan
© Nianiba, 2025