Photo Credits: Gustavo Bressan

The year 2009 has been announced the “French Year” in Brazil, also called “França.br”.

Many economic, scientific, and cultural events are taking place between the 21st of April and the 15th of November 2009 throughout all the major cities in Brazil, presenting a broad panoramic view of modern-day France.

As the leading French bank in Brazil, BNP Paribas – via its Foundation in São Paulo – has naturally taken great interest in this event and has decided to sponsor the Georges Momboye Dance Company. This internationally renowned French Company has been supported by BNP Paribas Foundation in Paris for more than three years now. Georges Momboye’s work is a fusion of traditional African dance and established contemporary aesthetics.

On June 23th and 26th, Georges Momboye Dance Company went on stage with a show entitled “Boyakodah”. The performance was greatly appreciated by the Brazilian public, who were moved by this modern reference to their African roots.

Georges Momboye’s plays invoke the creative energy of bodies and the universal pace of dancing. After “Clair de Lune,” showed in February 2006 to a young public, the company comes back with Boyakodah, a play gathering nine dancers and four musicians and singers. Boyakodah is entirely dedicated to life and its frenzy pace. The play is based on two universal items, the mortar and the pestle, symbolizing procreation, strength, and harmony. The light also plays an essential part, through which the dancers’ bodies, but also space and feelings are sculpted. Georges Momboye, being born in the Ivory Coast, gave his play the title Boyakodah, which means happiness in Guéré – one of the Western Ivory Coast’s languages. The BNP Paribas Foundation has been supporting the Georges Momboye Company since 2007.

> Find out more and look at the pictures of the show