Echo
Pioneering Modern African Dance in Southend
HE might be unknown in this country, but back home in Togo, Ass Ayigah
is a famous pioneer of modern African dance.
The 43-year-old, who now lives in Southend, trained at one of the most
prestigious dance colleges in Africa before going onto run his own performing
arts company, direct the national ballet, have his own television show
and win numerous awards for his work.
"Modern dance is big in Togo now because of me," Ass explains.
"Before I set up my own school, dancing was very traditional. They have
a dance for happiness, sadness and ritual dancing, but I wanted to create something
more expressive - something modern and fresh and contemporary".
Obsessed with dancing and music as a child, Ass travelled to the Ivory
Coast to attend one of Africa's most notorious dance schools - Ecole de
Danse et d'Echanges Culturels (School of Dance and Cultural Exchanges)
run by internationally-acclaimed dancer Rose-Marie Guiraud.
He trained to degree level and spent some time in Paris perfecting his
skills before returning home to Togo to spread the word about contemporary
dance.
Although his style was radical, the idea caught on and through his own
dance company and school, Assf students have gone on to work as dancers,
performers and instructors all over the world.
But political unrest in Togo forced Ass to flee the country with his family
and move to the UK seven years ago, where he has now become a British citizen
and set up a dance company in Southend called Ayigafrik. In 2004 he represented
the UK in the International Dance Festival Competition in Seoul, Korea.
"I love Southend," he says of his new home.
"When I came to England, I spent some time in London and then came here
and thought it was such a diverse place with lots of
different cultures and people seem to want to learn new things. People
think everything happens in London, but it doesn't - there are lot's
of interesting things going on outside of the city. I'm an artist and
Southend is a wonderful place to be because there are so many festivals
and opportunities to dance."
With a cast of 50 dancers, Ass now travels all over the world putting
on exhibitions of his unusual work.
"I talk about where the dance came from," he says.
"I sing African songs, perform some traditional African dance and get
the audience into the rhythm of the music".
Ass and his crew will be at Leigh Folk Festival this Sunday and have
been invited to perform at the Home Office's annual conference in October.
"I think it's a good way of showing people a bit about African culture," he
says.
"It's expensive to go to Africa, so instead people can come along and
watch what we do and get a feel for it".
The Ayigafrik crew will be performing on Victoria Wharf, Old Leigh on
Sunday at 2:30pm. The festival is free.
10:13am Wednesday 27th June 2007
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