Guilin View
World-renowned dancer Dickson Mbi performed his original dance piece "Enowate" at the Guangxi Provincial Art Gallery on the evening of Oct 31, blending elements of primal wildness with modern pop. This marked the Asian premiere of the production at the Guilin Arts Festival.
Dickson Mbi, a globally acclaimed hip-hop dancer born in Cameroon, grew up in London and became a choreographer. The inspiration for "Enowate" came from Mbi's journey back to his hometown in Cameroon, where he encountered unsettling experiences that deeply impacted him.
The title "Enowate" means "Truth", and the dance piece incorporates original music and animated projections while drawing upon the intricate elements of hip-hop and contemporary dance. Most of the performance lacks accompanying music, as the performers use their bodies as instruments, creating rhythms through claps, jumps, and falls that weave together into a concerto, driving the dance movements and the narrative forward.
Notably, "Enowate" is a one-man show, where the entire story, characters, and situations are portrayed by a single performer, delicately embodying various emotions and personas. Throughout the performance, Dickson Mbi transforms into multiple identities, showcasing the energy ignited by this life-changing journey on stage.
Dickson Mbi's exceptional performance and mesmerizing dance skills were recognized with the Outstanding Achievement in Dance Award at the 2023 Olivier Awards, one of the most prestigious theatre and musical theatre awards worldwide.
