In the dance production Frozen Power, five performers and a live musician guide the audience through a multifaceted story of power struggles and intrigues and the lived resistance against German colonial rule in the territory of present day Tanzania.

Choreographer Ian Mwaisunga piece begins on a street corner in Dar es Salaam, where a coffee vendor offers the audience a story to go with the coffee – a story that can be told in one way or another. Frozen Power does not claim tell a certain truth, but it aims to open up a space for the negotiation of a memory, of a shared past and a possible future.

Inspired by the historical figure of “Sultana”, a female ruler from the Singida region who was said to hold extraordinary powers, the poetic dance piece addresses both the role of female rulers in anti-colonial resistance and the need to re-appropriate and re-imagine historical figures for today’s Tanzania.

MUDA Africa is a production center and training ground for contemporary dance in Dar es Salaam. Founded on the belief that art and creativity are essential for the development and sustenance of social, cultural and economic life, MUDA Africa is today one of the main centers of the young Tanzanian creative scene. As a professional school for contemporary dance, it has produced numerous dancers and choreographers and, as a rehearsal and performance venue, presents the latest in-house productions and guest performances from Tanzania and neighboring countries all year round.

Teddy Mtuta is a 24-year-old Tanzanian dance artist and recent graduate of the Muda Africa training centre. She has performed in numerous productions with both local and international choreographers, including Natamani by Marcel Leeman (Switzerland), Whispers of Unity by Fatuma Bwana Ali (Tanzania), and The House Doesn’t Save Me by Estelle Lopez (Spain). Her artistry spans a variety of style including traditional, urban, latin dance and African contemporary dances.

Happyness Ndaki is a 22-year-old Tanzanian dance artist and graduate of Muda Africa’s Contemporary African Dance training programme. She has performed in prominent productions such as Frozen Power by Ian Mwaisunga (Dance Life Festival, Kenya, 2024) and Ditoro by Thamsanqa Majela (Kigali Triennial, Rwanda, 2024). Her work includes collaborations with international choreographers from South Africa, Switzerland, Spain, and the Netherlands. Happyness has performed at major festivals, including Rafiki Festival and Jukwaa Huru, blending Tanzanian traditions with contemporary dance. She is passionate about challenging body stereotypes in dance and is emerging as a leader for women dance artists in the Tanzanian community.

Deosantus Deodati is a 23-year-old Tanzanian dance artist and choreographer with a Diploma in Contemporary African Dance from Muda Africa. He has performed internationally in productions such as Survive by MANACAN (South Africa) and Ditoro by Thamsanqa Majela (South Africa), with appearances at festivals like Batalo East (Uganda) and Kigali Triennial (Rwanda). His choreography Hata Dakika was showcased in Goma and Bukavu, DR Congo. Deosantus has taught Afro-contemporary and yoga classes to children and adults, including sessions for Codarts University (Netherlands). Known for his passion and versatility, he combines Tanzanian cultural influences with global contemporary dance styles.

Ulonzi Almasi, born in 2000, discovered his passion for dance at the age of 15, starting with capoeira in the streets of his neighborhood. Five years later, he graduated from Muda Africa Dance School in Dar es Salaam. As a traditional and contemporary dancer, Ulonzi has worked with choreographers from Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Italy, France, Germany, and Cuba, participating in notable festivals such as Batalo East in Uganda, Dance Life in Kenya and Kigali Triennial in Rwanda. In 2022, he performed Haraka Haraka Haina Baraka with Cooperativa Maura Morales (Germany), showcasing at Asphalt and Tanz Moderne Tanz festivals in Germany. Ulonzi performed in Qatar for the opening of the UN’s LDC5 conference in 2023. Beyond performing, Ulonzi is dedicated to teaching dance in Tanzania, aiming to inspire youth and empower his community through creative expression.

Mahmoud Mbega is a 24-year-old dance artist based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A graduate of Muda Africa dance school, he specializes in African contemporary and traditional dance. Mahmoud has collaborated with local and international choreographers, including Ian Mwaisunga (Tanzania), Thamsanqa Majela (South Africa), Matthieu Nieto (France), Vanessa Tamburi (Italy), Marcel Leeman (Switzerland), and Maura Morales (Germany/Cuba). Mahmoud’s debut solo, Ujana na Tamaa (Youth and Desire), blends dance techniques with crab movements to address challenges facing Tanzanian youth. This piece was featured at the Time 2 Dance Festival (Tanzania, 2022), the Stuttgart Solo Dance Festival (2023), and the UN LDC5 Conference (Qatar, 2023).As co-founder of the African Roots Dance Company, Mahmoud is dedicated to storytelling through movement, inspiring audiences with his creativity and dedication.

Mbwana Mtulia, widely known by his stage name D’bass Ganun, is a gifted Tanzanian bassist and qanun (ganun) player based in Zanzibar. Specializing in Afro-fusion, his music blends traditional Ndengeleko rhythms from Rufiji with contemporary styles, creating a unique sound with rich cultural heritage. Born in 1988 in Dar es Salaam into a musical family, Dbass’s father nurtured his early talent, while his mother guided his music career. He honed his craft at the Dhow Countries Music Academy (DCMA) in Zanzibar. Over the years, D’bass has become a prominent figure in the East African music scene, performing solo and with his band at major festivals like ZIFF, Sauti za Busara, and Doa Doa showcase. His collaborations span globally, having performed with artists like Sousou & Maher Cissoko and Sadio Sissoko, and recording with Tanzanian stars like Diamond Platnumz, Ally Kiba and Q Chief.

Exhibition, Programme “Histories of Tanzania”
The territory of modern-day Tanzania has a chequered history. On account of its position on the Indian Ocean, the communities there became part of transregional trading networks early on. During German colonial rule, what is now Tanzania was part of the colony known as “German East Africa” (1884/85–1918/19); it subsequently became a British colony called “Tanganyika” (until 1961). The impact of the oppression, exploitation, and violence perpetrated in the colonial period can still be felt today. During colonialism, thousands of cultural belongings were brought to Germany. More than 10,000 “objects” from the territory of modern-day Tanzania are held by the Ethnologisches Museum in Berlin.

What (hi)stories do these cultural belongings tell?
A variety of narratives, perspectives, and cultural belongings are used to illustrate the centuries of entanglements that are part of the history of today’s Tanzania. The exhibition focuses particularly on the period of colonial oppression and exploitation. Colonial narratives are viewed in a critical light and racist attributions are called into question.
The exhibition was developed collaboratively and presents multiple stories and perspectives. The curators from Dar es Salaam, Songea, and Berlin as well as representatives of communities in Tanzania get a chance to share their perspectives in texts and filmed interviews. Works by East African artists cast a critical light on the colonial viewpoint. The cultural belongings and the various perspectives are presented in an exhibition design made from teak and bamboo, which both protects the “objects” and enables visitors to experience their aesthetic and sensual qualities.
A varied programme of events will complement the exhibition Histories of Tanzania. It will present contemporary artistic approaches from Tanzania and the Tanzanian diaspora that not only reflect on the long shadows cast by the colonial era in artistic and critical terms, but also formulate visions of the future that go beyond the colonial narrative.
Tanzanian artists from the fields of film, dance, photography, media art, and music will provide insights into current debates, aesthetics, and strategies of cultural (re)appropriation.

[Source: humboldtforum.org]

TFB Nr. 1957