Back to Kidal
Serge Aimé Coulibaly / Faso Danse Théâtre
“With Back to Kidal, I want to bring the reality of terrorism in the Sahel closer to us. Not as an ‘African problem’, something distant that concerns others. But as a reality that affects us all. To bring our fear onto the stage. Our humanity. Our contradictions. Our questions. And let the performance find its own way between us. Back to Kidal is a piece about the Sahel, but above all about what we do with what happens to us. I believe it leaves no one indifferent.”
– Serge Aimé Coulibaly
African in origin and universal in scope, the blues carries the voice of those who have weathered storms. During their involuntary crossing to America, enslaved people brought their musical traditions with them. There, these traditions evolved into the blues, a genre of resilience and dignity. In Back to Kidal, choreographer Serge Aimé Coulibaly, born in Burkina Faso and now based in Brussels, draws upon this musical heritage.
The story unfolds in a powerful performance by Faso Danse Théâtre, accompanied by spoken word artist Odile Sankara, singer Niaka Sacko, and live music by Ivan Talbot and Patrick Kabré.
Kidal is a resource-rich region with small gold mines and reserves of iron and copper, but above all, it is marked by postcolonial tensions. In this odyssey, it serves as a symbolic place within the Mali Empire, which boasts an ancient musical tradition. The cradle of Afro-blues. Distinctive blues guitar resonates live as a thread running through the performance, connecting the various scenes with a musical heritage deeply rooted in Africa.
Expect a gripping tale of the quest for self-determination. A contemporary epic in which pride and resilience echo through a long history of struggle and resistance.
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Serge Aimé Coulibaly
Faso Danse Théâtre- Genre: Dance
- World premiere: 1 & 2 July 2026
- Direction: Serge Aimé Coulibaly
- Creation & performance: Odile Sankara, Jean Robert Koudogbo-Kiki, Ida Faho, Djibril Ouattara, Arsène Etaba, Deborah Lotti, Charly Simon, Niaka Sacko
- Music: Yvan Talbot (Doogoo D), Patrick Kabré
- Coproduction: Charleroi Danse (BE), AGORA – Cité Internationale de la Danse (FR), Montpellier Danse + CCN Occitanie (FR), DE SINGEL (BE), Ruhrtriennale (DE), Theater Rotterdam (NL)
- With the support of: the Flemish Government
“Serge Aimé Coulibaly creates a total spectacle in which dance is just one of many elements. The powerful live music of Patrick Kabré, who is equally impressive as a singer, and Yvan Talbot (Doogoo D), Niaka Sacklo’s vocals and the compelling narrative, carried by Odile Sankara’s voice, are every bit as integral to the performance.”
Le Soir
“A compelling, uncompromising and impressive performance.”
Theaterkrant
“In the magnificent setting of the Opéra Comédie, he creates a journey in which blues, dance and song engage in a deeply sensitive dialogue. A precise choreographic language entrusted to a remarkable cast, carrying an essential message: the hope for a united humanity.”
L’OEil d’Olivier
“Back to Kidal is not a nostalgic journey, but a return to the essentials: to song, the body and music as the most fundamental artistic building blocks. They are the ultimate tools for bringing people together again, with one another rather than against one another.”
L’OEil d’Olivier