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| Entertainment |
| Ijodee rocks Malawi |
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by
Chisomo Kachapila, 10 September 2004
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16:18:55
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The performance of the Ijodee dancers from Nigeria on Sunday at French Cultural Centre would have been even greater had they brought in their own equipment other than mere CDs.
The group brought their modern dance to Blantyre that left those who went to see with a better appreciation of what happens when the traditional is combined with the modern westernised mode of body twisting.
There was something about the Nigerian dance troupe that made them unique. The dancers are a contemporary group, yet when they took the stage, one would have mistaken them for some divinists looking for answers from some distant figure. But when they began unravelling the modernity in them, French Cultural Centre, was left in amazement at the skill and energy exerted into trying to entertain the audience.
And unlike the flowing traditional robes that are associated with Nigeria, the Ijodee dance troupe featured in plain black pairs of trousers and bare chests. All this is because the group does not to want to be identified with Nigeria but rather with Africa. Theirs was a dance full of surprises.
“We don’t want people to look at us as Igbo man or Yoruba man, we are Africans,” said their leader, Adedayo Liadi.
And had it been that Ijodee brought in their own drums, the show could have made even a greater impact.
“They were good and very well coordinated but the problem was that they were using CDs instead of actual drums,” remarked one Kelton Masangano.
But their music director, Saidi Ilelaboye, said it would have been expensive to bring their drums and four extra men to do the job.
The group performed their production which won them a tour to Africa and Europe called the Ori, which gives respect to the head who is God. They were curtain raised by a local traditional group Sambang’oma dancers.
Some renowned artists like Benard Kwilimbe, who is also deputy director of culture in Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and had travelled from Lilongwe with three National troupe dancers, also lauded the performance.
Ijodee’s lone female performer was yet another sensation to watch in the clearly strenuous dances. There was never a time during their performance when she took a relaxing role. What ever her male counterparts did, she did.
The 25-year-old Nneka Celina Umiegbo has been with the group for the three past years. And when on stage, she said she doesn’t look at herself as a girl but rather as a dancer.
“I don’t believe there are things that men do that women can’t do, when we are on stage, we don’t see different bodies, it’s one figure moving,” she said, smiling.
She said people always tell her that she has a lot of energy but to her, it is due to hard work.
And so, they left with a promise to return. Of course, the lessons had been learnt. According to Kwilimbe, it is time for Malawian dances to be revolutionised while its taste and touch is preserved.
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