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 legacy we should highlight and celebrate as she continues to inspire and guide with her restless vision”.
Wayne McGregor
Director of the Dance Department, La Biennale di Venezia
THE VENICE BIENNALE
The Venice Biennale was established in 1895. It has over 120 years and it is one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world, with an attendance today of over 500,000 visitors at the Art Exhibition.
THE LIONS FOR DANCE 2021
The Lions for Dance 2021 were approved by the Board of Directors of La Biennale di Venezia which accepted the recommendations advanced by Wayne McGregor, director of the Dance Department.
At the 15th International Festival of Contemporary Dance of La Biennale di Venezia, to be held July 23rd through August 1st, Germaine Acogny will present the Italian premiere of her most recent solo piece Somewhere at the beginning, a journey touching on sensitive themes in which her personal history interlaces with collective events.
The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Dance has been previously awarded to:
Merce Cunningham (1995)
Carolyn Carlson (2006)
Pina Bausch (2007)
Jirí Kylián (2008)
William Forsythe (2010)
Sylvie Guillem (2012)
Steve Paxton (2014)
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (2015)
Maguy Marin (2016)
Lucinda Childs (2017)
Meg Stuart (2018)
Alessandro Sciarroni (2019)
La Ribot (2020)
Source: https://www.labiennale.org/en/news/2021-lion-awards-dance
