Sablistes

"Sablistes are alumni of Ecole des Sables, that have attended a training programme of minimum 3 months or more at Ecole des Sables, and they either gained a Diploma in Acogny Technique Transmission or a Diploma in Traditional and Contemporary Dances in Africa. They may have attended several 3 months workshops.

One thing is for sure, they have "eaten" the sand of Aloopho!"

We want to use this section to highlight our sablistes! Learn more about our alunmi here!

Dr. RAINY DEMERSON

– 2009 International Contemporary Dance Intensive
– Dear friendships with amazing human beings
– Currently a Lecturer of Dance at The University of The West Indies Cave Hill in Barbados and an independent choreographer.
– After my studies at L’ecole I returned to Senegal to make work with former Sablistes then several years later, inspired by my time there, went on to research contemporary dance in South Africa.

My dissertation Decolonial Moves: Re-Membering Black Women in South African Contemporary Dance is available to read online and I have a chapter coming out soon in the book African Somaesthetics published by Brill, and both reference the work of Mama Germaine and Ecole des Sables.

UMUGWANEZA ADA JEANNE

She obtained in 2017 the Diploma of Professional Dancer in Traditional and Contemporary African Dance at the École des Sables in Dakar (Senegal).
She started dancing in the cultural troupe Abatarutwa in 2007, where she still trains young dancers.
In 2010, she begins her training in contemporary dance with Guy Beaujot and participates in one of his films, based on one of his choreographies, entitled “Agaciro”.
She took part in the “East Africa Nights of Tolerance” Festival in 2015 and 2016 among others with a choreography “One plus one equals three” with Joselyne Murekatete.
In 2016, she created ‘Other root’, a solo about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda.

UMUGWANEZA Ada Jeanne, is of Rwandan nationality.

ARMEL GNAGO SOSSO-NY

Ivorian Artist Dancer ARMEL GNAGO SOSSO-NY, born in Ivory Coast

The first time he attended Ecole des Sables was in 2018, for a two (2) week training course entitled “Stage with the great African choreographers”. The second time was in 2019 at the first edition of the workshop for Professional and Advanced Dancers from Africa, the African Diaspora and the rest of the world.
On December 2019, he participated in the final audition for Pina Bausch’s spring coronation with the Africans.
And finally, in 2020, he returns to Senegal for almost two (2) months for the resumption of the Pina Bausch Spring Rite at Ecole des Sables.

It should be noted that, for me, Ecole des Sables is an exceptional place where I learnt a lot, I met other extraordinary choreographers starting with our very dear mother, Maman Germaine Acogny and others. The only thing I remember about Ecole des Sables is that it is nothing but work for the best and for the future of African dancers and the world. I would like to say a big thank you to our founders of l’Ecole des Sables.

ALAIN SINANDJA

“I graduated from ECOLE DES SABLES in contemporary and traditional African dance training under the direction of Patrick Acogny 2015-2017 (promotion gis-gis).
Concerning what I got out of the school, I will say that all my career as a dancer and young choreographer I owe it to the Ecole Des Sables because it made me who I am and have artistic conviction.
I have been living in Japan since I finished my training at Ecole des Sables in 2017 and I am continuing my career as a dancer and choreographer.
Finally since 2018 with the help of my wife we have created a contemporary and traditional dance festival called African contemporary Festival in collaboration with the theatre DANCE BOX KOBE. Presently I am on a new creation following a call for applications for a project called Artists views.

“My name is SINANDJA DAKONYEME, better known as Alain Sinandja, I am of Togolese origin.”