• Ecole des Sables

    International Centre for Traditional and Contemporary African Dance.
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Join us and experience our general level dance classes from the African Continent and its Diaspora, led by teachers who have taught at our school or share the school’s vision and its values. 

Let’s make Wednesdays special with Ecole des Sables!

We will have available for you two classes at 18:00 and 19:15 CEST!

Learn more here

Pina Bausch The Rite of Spring - Rehearsals at École des Sables

Step inside the rehearsal studio at École des Sables, in Senegal. Dancers Franne Christie Dossou, Gloria Ugwarelojo Biachi and Serge Arthur Dodo give an insight into rehearsing Pina Bausch's masterpiece The Rite of Spring with Artistic Direction by Josephine Ann Endicott and Jorge Puerta Armenta.

Meet Our Team

The people behind Ecole des Sables

Germaine Acogny

Germaine Acogny is one of the best known personalities of the African contemporary dance scene,…

Helmut Vogt

Helmut Vogt, co-founder of Ecole des Sables and husband of Germaine Acogny, has a background…

Alesandra Seutin

Alesandra Seutin is Ecole des Sables’ newest Artisitic Director.
International performer, choreographer and teacher,…

Wesley Ruzibiza

Wesley Ruzibiza, is Ecole des Sables’ newest Artistic Director. A major dancer and choreographer in…

Paul Sagne

Paul Sagne is Ecole des Sables Administrative Director.
He was born in 1979 in…

Give a Hand to Ecole des Sables

Help us achieve this objective! Support the future of young senegalese dancers!

Ecole de Sables (EDS) under the new  artistic direction of Wesley Ruzibiza and Alesandra Seutin, has the plan of putting in place Jant-Bi II; formed of young dancers based in Senegal. 

This project will begin in March 2021  and will target a minimum of 30  Senegalese dancers. 

Through this initiative EDS also wants to participate in reducing the exodus from our continent by stimulating the artistry in our communities and creating  career opportunities for the local professional dancers.

 

Learn more here

Projects

Learn more about École des Sables Projects here!

Dance Afrique | Experimental Flow International Workshop 2021

Contemporary African Dance Workshop – 3 months

Training Consultancy Programme

Diploma-based Continuing Education

Specialised Course in African Dances – 2 weeks

Visit our projects!

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Testimonials

It gives us joy to receive such testimonials from our sablistes, visitors, collaborators...

I would like to thank all those who never stopped believing in me and who supported me all the time. I feel ready to continue on to the next adventure! When I think of all the moments at Ecole des Sables, I could never forget those memories, because it was there that I realised what I am worth and that I can become someone. Many times I have asked myself what I would have done if I had never gone to Ecole des Sables!
Robert Ssempijja
Uganda

Robert Ssempijja

I have found this training experience very enriching and important in my dancing career. This diploma in fact already benefits me because I will be able to apply to other schools around the world. This experience has made me change the way I see, think and perform dance! Now the biggest challenge is to go far in my career and show the School that they were right to have selected me for this training.
Alain Sinandja
Togo

Alain Sinandja

Vocational training in traditional and contemporary African dances at the École des Sables for three years, three months of which each year, is a dream come true for me. It has been a wonderful professional experience, which has built me up and gives me the power to act and express myself through dance and has changed my vision of things, and to this day, even though it has been completed, it continues to circulate within me and to shape my being and my artistic thinking.
Djokam Tamo, Agathe
Cameroon

Djokam Tamo, Agathe

The best part of the training was for me the encounter of all these dancers from Africa with their different cultures but also the fact that it pushed us to go beyond our limits in creation. And the great challenge for me was to create differently and to tell myself that everything is possible when you really put yourself into it. I would like to thank the Ecole des Sables with all its team for the training and the welcome, especially Patrick Acogny. May God bless the founders (Germaine Acogny and Helmut Vogt) and Ecole des Sables for all they do for the dancers of the world.
Kadidja Tiemanta
Mali

Kadidja Tiemanta

L’Ecole des Sable has helped me to better incorporate my own traditional dances from Ethiopia in my own dance and choreographic work and in my teaching. I have also learned about other traditional African dances, which also influence me. I do not think that I would have looked as deeply at Ethiopia’s traditional dances for inspiration if I had not had the opportunity to study at L’Ecole des Sables. The opportunity to work with dancers from all over the world has also been fantastic and even when we are not in Senegal dancing together we keep in touch via email and by phone.
Mekbul Jemal Tahir
Ethiopia

Mekbul Jemal Tahir

Latest News

École des Sables latest news here

The Golden Lion goes to… Germaine Acogny!

The Golden Lion goes to… Germaine Acogny!

Elaine_EcoleLeave a Comment on The Golden Lion goes to… Germaine Acogny!

The Golden Lion goes to… Germaine Acogny! “Her influence as a creative and mentorship of countless young dance makers from Africa and beyond is a…

Ecole des Sables creates the future with a New Generation – The transmission

Ecole des Sables creates the future with a New Generation – The transmission

Elaine_EcoleLeave a Comment on Ecole des Sables creates the future with a New Generation – The transmission

Press Release 27 November 2020 – Press Release sent to invite the media community to the Presentation of the new team and its projects in…

Announcing the New Generation!

Announcing the New Generation!

Elaine_EcoleLeave a Comment on Announcing the New Generation!

Press Release 30 October 2020 – Press Release sent to announce the New Generation of Ecole des Sables. The Founders made the decision to hand…

Dance Afrique | Experimental Flow

Dance Afrique | Experimental Flow

Elaine_Ecole1 Comment on Dance Afrique | Experimental Flow

Good News! Dance Afrique | Experimental Flow International Workshop is returning to École des Sables! Stay tuned! Dance Afrique | Experimental Flow International Workshop 2021 is…

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Contact Us

Get in touch

International Training Centre for Traditional and Contemporary African Dances.

Ecole des Sables

Toubab Dialaw, CP 15 523 Dakar, Senegal

(221) 33 836 36 19

info@ecoledessables.org

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