ELEVATE is thrilled to collaborate with France-Atlanta and Atlanta Contemporary to present “A Dance, Reunited.” A film screening will be followed by a panel discussion about the resurgence of the global arts community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Co-produced by Festival de Marseille and HAU (Hebbel am Ufer) among others, the film Letters from the Continent by Faustin Linyekula was conceived and shot in May and June 2020 and features 21 artists from Cape Town, Dakar, Lagos, Maputo, Moroni, Tunis and other cities. Filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it reflects on how, for many people, there has always been some sort of crisis – a health, political or, above all, economic crisis – and how the handling of such a crisis can make people everyday heroes. The film is part of the Dance Films Catalogue, a project of the Cultural Services of the Embassy of France in the United States in partnership with the Institut français.

The panel discussion will feature Faustin Linkeyula, Angela Harris, Indya Childs, Fatoumata Bagayoko and Iymaani Aytes, as moderator.

A film screening and debate will be followed by a performance by Indya Childs.

Additional information about this event can be found on ELEVATE’s website: elevateatlart.com

October 17, 2021 – 3:00 p.m.

Atlanta Contemporary
535 Means St, NW
Atlanta, GA 30318

This event is free and open to the public.

Panelists:

• Faustin Linyekula is the author of the film Letters from the Continent. He is known as a dancer, choreographer, but he calls himself a storyteller. He tells stories through writing, theatre, dance, still or moving images. He lives and works in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo, former Zaire, former Belgian Congo, former Congo Free State, private property of Leopold II, King of Belgians. In 2001, after 8 years traveling and working around the world, he returned to the ruins of his country and founded Studios Kabako in Kinshasa. He has toured in theatres, festivals and museums across Europe, Africa, Oceania and the Americas, including Théâtre de la Ville and Festival d’Automne in Paris, the MoMA and the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Central Africa Museum in Tervuren, the Tate Modern in London, Festival d’Avignon, KunstenFestivaldesArts in Brussels, New Zealand Festival.
• Indya Childs is a dancer and choreographer who hails from Atlanta. She began her dance training at Price Performing Arts Center and The Atlanta Ballet. Indya Childs holds a B.A. in Dance from Kennesaw State University and in 2015, was named “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine. She also attended the Hubbard Street Professional Program under the direction of Alexandra Wells. Indya Childs danced professionally with Ballethnic Dance Company, T. Lang Dance and Abby Z and The New Utility.
• Fatoumata Bagayoko was born in 1989 in Bamako. Initially oriented towards a CAP in electricity, her desire for an artistic career led her to enter the National Institute of Arts in Bamako from where she graduated in 2007. Then she joined the Conservatory of Arts and Multimedia Trades, Balla Fasseké Kouyaté from Bamako (CAMM) to follow a five-year training course and obtain a diploma in Dance. Until 2010 she also trained in traditional dance with Karim Togola and Kardjigué Laico Traoré.
• Angela Harris is the Executive Artistic Director of Dance Canvas, Inc., a career development organization for emerging professional choreographers and youth. Through Dance Canvas, Angela Harris has been a catalyst, consultant and resource for numerous new dance organizations and artists, both locally in metro Atlanta, as well as nationally. Angela has developed programs for the City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Department of Recreation, recording artist Usher’s New Look Foundation and the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation. Angela is a graduate of The Baltimore School for the Arts and studied at the Dance Theater of Harlem, School of the Hartford Ballet and The Eglevsky Ballet.
• Moderator: Iymaani Aytes is the Founder and Principal Consultant at The Aytes Agency – a boutique arts & culture consulting firm based in Atlanta, committed to creating opportunities to expand the multitude of arts offerings and improving outcomes and systems for arts organizations, educational institutions, corporate foundations and others.

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This event is organized by the Atlanta Office of the Cultural Services of the Embassy of France in the United States, the Mayor’s Office of cultural affairs – Atlanta, Elevate and Atlanta Contemporary.

Photos : Julie Yarbrough