Faustin Linyekula

Dancer and choreographer, Linyekula co-founded with Opiyo Okach and Afrah Tenambergen the first contemporary dance company in Kenya, Gàara company, in 1997.

Having studied literature and theater, Linyekula established the Studios Kabako in Kinshasa, Congo, in 2001, a space dedicated to performative arts, which organized educational, research and creative programs for local artists. In 2007, the Studios Kabako were relocated to Kisangani, in northeastern Congo, while they also opened up to other fields, such as cinema, video and music.

Loyal to his pursuits, the choreographer explores through his work the processes of remembrance and oblivion, especially when they have to do with the traumatic history of his country. Linyekula’s art is not committed, only charged with the duty of memory or, in other cases, with issues concerning the environment and sustainable development.

His works have toured around the world, in theaters and museums. He has collaborated with several choreographers, such as Raimund Hoghe (“Sans-titre”, 2009), and with the Ballet de Lorraine, for the revival of the ballet “La Creation du Monde”. In summer 2019, he and William Kentridge were associate artists at the Holland festival.