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Afroconfusionist: Dance, music collide as Nigerian dancer, others ignite stage in Germany

All is set for the stage presentation of the contemporary dance piece,’ Afroconfusionist’, at the Hamburger Sprechwerk Theatre, Germany, from Friday April 29 to Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Afroconfusionist’ is an open exploration of the term Afro – its roots and its manifold overlays with contradictory attributions in today’s world.

Together with a team of four dancers (Tirza Ben Zvi, Nana Anine Jorgenson, Tobias Draeger) and two musicians (Paul Timmich and Isioma Williams), Nigerian dancer and choreographer, Israel Akpan Sunday, invites us to a poetic jam session that lets dance and music collide and tries to create as much confusion as possible with the mishmash of political and cultural-historical references, styles and feelings. “Afro: a condition, a feeling, an origin, a musical style, a political statement, a designation that raises questions,’’ says Sunday.

“We celebrate the self confusion of identities. AFROCONFUSIONIST is an open exploration of the term Afro – its roots and its manifold overlays with contradictory attributions in today’s world. Afro: a condition, a feeling, an origin, a musical style, a political statement, a designation that raises questions.’’

He explained that “the Confusionist is an equilibrium of indecision in which one thing can be another. He is the never-still confrontation in gentle aggression, divisive love, and vague unambiguity with no prospect of redemption – the perfect state to finally meet again with fragile confidence in glorious demarcation.’’ Produced by Family Production and S.I.A. Projects with the support of Apricot Productions, the show, according to Sunday, is funded by the Hamburg Ministry of Culture and the Hamburgische Kulturstiftung; supported by Hamburger Sprechwerk, Wartenau 16, StrandPauli OHG and the Support fund of WIESE eG. Sunday is an interdisciplinary artist in the field of performing arts.

In his pieces he explores sociological, political, and economic problems of our contemporary society and questions its underlying systems. His performance style is characterized by a fusion of everyday movements and behaviors with contemporary dance, as well as the constant incorporation of live music. His works are political and challenging, as well as poetic and sensual at the same time. Followed by the urge to explore and develop the multicultural resources of Nigeria, Israel Akpan Sunday always deals intensively with the rich cultural heritage of his home country Nigeria. He currently lives and works as a choreographer and musician in Hamburg.

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