site specific / interactive performance
video link: https://vimeo.com/716852872 https://vimeo.com/694817057
“What is death? Reality? Or a point of view? How many such angles are there? How many people? So many cultures? We all go through the same arc from birth to demise, we all have our own stories, fears and joys coupled with the idea of what awaits us at the end?”
Artists seek out new impulses and connect generations as well as completely different cultures from different continents. The traditions of West Africa and Central Europe hide stories passed down from generation to generation. In Africa, the oldest are naturally the most respected members of family and society, and their passing is the most significant celebration of wisdom, experience and goodness.
Performers in Czech Republic: Lenka Kniha B., Ridina Ahmedová, Ruhia Sadik, Clifford Selorm Ametefe, Miroslav Maruška, Marie Vnoučková, Olexandr Dimytriv
Performers in Ghana: Lenka Kniha B. Ridina Ahmedová, Clifford Selorm Ametefe, Ruhia Sadik, Mr. Courage Yaw Botsoe (Kofi Black), Mr. Shaibu Abdulai, Mrs. Akua Boakyewa Abloso.
Idea and creative producer: Yvona Kreuzmannová
Choreography: Lenka Kniha B.
Music: Ridina Ahmedová
Collaboration on the preparation of sound material: Martin Ozvold
Film: Dominik Žižka
Producer: International Festival TANEC PRAHA
- About the project:
“Eymen – point of view” was created in collaboration with Tanec Praha under the auspices of Yvonna Kreutzmanová, director of Ponec Theatre, Margita Fuchsová, Czech Ambassador to Ghana, and the Ghana National Dance Ensemble and FARO moving space.
The creative team of the project “Eymen- Point of view” is based on choreographer Lenka Kniha Bartůňková (http://www.bartunkova.com) in close collaboration with singer Ridina Ahmedová (https://www.ridina.cz/), two artists from Ghana Dance Ensemble (dancers with musical and pedagogical background) Ruhia Sadik and Clifford Selorm Ametefe.
The first part of the project (2019)took place with a visit to Accra, Ghana by Lenka Book B. and Ridina Ahmed, where for ten days they began preparing and collecting audio material for the Eymen project. In the form of interviews on the theme of “Death “they met people from different walks of life to begin the creative process of this project. During their stay in Africa, a solo performance (“Lágrima”), a concert and dance and voice workshops were held at the University of Accra for both the students and the National Ghana Ensemble.
The second part of the project continued in Prague, where two African dancers were invited. In collaboration with other performers (two seniors M. Maruška, M.Vnoučková and a breakdancer Olexandr Dimitriv). This created the final form of the interactive site-specific performance “Eymen”, which premiered at the Prague Quadrennial and the Tanec Praha 2019 Festival.The performance was part of the accompanying programme of the dance festival and was performed in the regions of the Czech Republic.
The third phase of the project took place in 2021 in Ghana in July/August. We worked with local artists and audiences. Our aim was to take the performance back to where it originated and to create a documentary to capture the process of this multi-year project on the theme of death.
- We created a documentary “Eymen-point of view”( 30 min.) If you are interested in publishing it , please contact me.
The project was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and Embassy of the Czech Republic in Accra.