Re:INCARNATION – Dublin Dance Festival – Review

Dates: 20 May – 21 May – On the Abbey Stage 
Directed and Choreographed by Qudus Onikeku

QDance Company are from Lagos, Nigeria, so you can expect some flavour and colour in their work, but this production is unique and contemporary.  Re:INCARNATION is the creation of choreographer Qudus Onikeku and was first performed in 2021.  It explores the Yoruba philosophy, which emphasises a “holistic worldview, interconnectedness, and the importance of maintaining cosmic balance”. The philosophy has a cyclical perspective on life, and this production is broken into four quite separate parts. After a prologue, we see Ibi (birth), Iku (death), and Atunbi (re-birth).

An interesting aspect of this production is its live musical accompaniment, with two musicians on stage. One sits behind a drum kit and gives a strong, driving percussion sound to the piece. The other acts as both a DJ and a guitar player, adding samples of recorded music and simple guitar lines.

The prologue is one of the more successful of the four pieces, as we see a sample of life. The ten dancers separate into five couples, and we see a sample of their daily lives, all played out over a bouncing beat. In the final moments, we see a variety of different sexual poses, and then the inevitable consequence: a child is born! The Ibi (birth) section allows for a colourful view, where the dancers move playfully in and out of different groups. There is a change in the mood with Iku (death), as the dancers arrive bare-chested, covered in dust. It has a feel of a journey to the other side of the divide, with strange, unearthly creatures. With the final section, Atunbi (re-birth), we get a long spoken work section, as the dancers cover themselves in a dark oil-like substance, making their skin reflective against the strong lighting.

The production draws on a variety of sources for its movement. While it is of African origin, the dance styles are varied, with elements of modern break dancing along with more traditional forms. The four different segments give us a microcosm, meaning the viewer sees different moods on stage, from bright and lively to morose and languid moments. It is a surprising and multifaceted work. Some sections are more successful than others, but at its best, it is an effervescent and exuberant production.

Credits
Choreographer: Qudus Onikeku
Dancer: Addy Oyinkuro
Dancer: Angela Okolo
Dancer: Esther Essien
Dancer: David Emmanuel
Dancer: Ruth Efigo
Dancer: Oba Ugochukwu
Dancer: Bethel Wisdom
Dancer: Faith Okoh
Dancer: Grace Diepreye
Dancer: Eze Gift
Musician: Fabiyi Abiodun Samuel
Musician: Simeon Lawrence
Lighting Design: Michel Abdallah
Costume Design: Mary Peter Ochei
Stage Manager: Isaak Lartey
Mask Maker: Nas Magnificent
Mask Maker: Yusuf Aina Abogunde
Production & Touring: Hajarat Alli (The QDanceCompany)
Tour Manager: Victor Lawani
Production: THE QDANCE COMPANY LAGOS
Associate Production France: YK Projects