“Inspired by my many trips to Africa, where I had been able to observe these women and men who were almost naked, strolling elegantly and proudly, worthy of the most exquisite photos of art. I wanted to put the spotlight on the story of these pure-hearted people, that life doesn't seem to have taken a dig at, regardless of their burden or their troubles. The only thing that matters is this course towards this line; the line of life, that always finishes by taking shape even when all hope has gone. Here, in “Empreintes Massaï” weakness and strength are set against each other. Inspired by the Massaï dances with their body movements that stretch to the sky, and the ritual dances that redraw new contours of the body, the dancers move towards contrasted body movements: feet anchored to the ground seek the equilibrium point of the body stretched towards the sky. The entire show is based on this quest for balance and the notion of imbalance: two musicians, transporting a multitude of musical instruments, cross the stage, dancers, who are carrying long and slender jugs on their heads as if used to lengthen their silhouette, are propelled over and beyond their limits.
And, finally, on the dance floor, lines and shapes appear, to come together or to separate.
Every single resource and every single situation of these bodies in movement are used. The elegance of the body movements contrasts with a quest for a body imbalanced, a quest for roots… an allusion to current-day Africa, which, more than anything else, wishes to share its beauty, its elegance and its cultural richness. »  Georges Momboye

Source: Maison de la Danse performance programme

Born in Ivory Coast and trained in classical, jazz and modern jazz dance, Georges Momboye began his performing career as a member of traditional companies such as Les Guirivoires, Ensemble Koteba and the Ivory Coast National Ballet. He soon felt himself cramped by traditional performance and sought other choreographic experiences in France, the United States and Canada, with artists such as Alvin Ailey, Brigitte Matuizi, Rick Odums, Elsa Wolliaston and Gisèle Houri. 

In 1992 he decided to move to France and create his own company Yankady, “creative freedom” in Malinke, which was renamed the Georges Momboye Company in 1996. The company's resolutely-declared aim is to disseminate a representative artistic expression of contemporary Africa, which he defines as “young African dance”. The repertoire mingles contemporary, African and hip-hop technique, and includes two re-interpretations of Russian ballets (“l'Après-midi d'un faune” and “The Rite of Spring”), commissioned by the Biennale of Val-de-Marne, and pieces for a young audience (“Claire de Lune”). An internationally-recognised artist, he teaches dance courses in Europe, the United States, Asia and Latin America. In Paris in 1998, he founded the Centre de Danses Pluri-africaines et des Cultures du Monde, also known as the Momboye Centre, with support from UNESCO's International Dance Council. This is a key venue for discovering dance coming out of the African continent as well as being a venue for comparisons and exchanges.

Further information : 

Digital resource  - Médiathèque du Centre national de la danse
http://mediatheque.cnd.fr/spip.php?page=mediatheque-numerique-ressource&id=PHO00003890

Author, filmmaker and video artist Charles Picq (1952-2012) entered working life in the 70s through theatre and photography. A- fter resuming his studies (Maîtrise de Linguistique - Lyon ii, Maîtrise des sciences et Techniques de la Communication - grenoble iii), he then focused on video, first in the field of fine arts at the espace Lyonnais d'art Contemporain (ELAC) and with the group « Frigo », and then in dance.
   On creation of the Maison de la Danse in Lyon in 1980, he was asked to undertake a video documentation project that he has continued ever since. During the ‘80s, a decade marked in France by the explosion of contemporary dance and the development of video, he met numerous artists such as andy Degroat, Dominique Bagouet, Carolyn Carlson, régine Chopinot, susanne Linke, Joëlle Bouvier and regis Obadia, Michel Kelemenis. He worked in the creative field with installations and on-stage video, as well as in television with recorded shows, entertainment and documentaries.

His work with Dominique Bagouet (80-90) was a unique encounter. He documents his creativity, assisting with Le Crawl de Lucien and co-directing with his films Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux and 10 anges. in the 90s he became director of video development for the Maison de la Danse and worked, with the support of guy Darmet and his team, in the growing space of theatre video through several initiatives:
       - He founded a video library of dance films with free public access. This was a first for France. Continuing the video documentation of theatre performances, he organised their management and storage.
       - He promoted the creation of a video-bar and projection room, both dedicated to welcoming school pupils.
       - He started «présentations de saisons» in pictures.
       - He oversaw the DVD publication of Le tour du monde en 80 danses, a pocket video library produced by the Maison de la Danse for the educational sector.

       - He launched the series “scènes d'écran” for television and online. He undertook the video library's digital conversion and created Numeridanse.

His main documentaries are: enchaînement, Planète Bagouet, Montpellier le saut de l'ange, Carolyn Carlson, a woman of many faces, grand ecart, Mama africa, C'est pas facile, Lyon, le pas de deux d'une ville, Le Défilé, Un rêve de cirque.

He has also produced theatre films: Song, Vu d'ici (Carolyn Carlson), Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux, 10 anges, Necesito and So schnell, (Dominique Bagouet), Im bade wannen, Flut and Wandelung (Susanne Linke), Le Cabaret Latin (Karine Saporta), La danse du temps (Régine Chopinot), Nuit Blanche (Abou Lagraa), Le Témoin (Claude Brumachon), Corps est graphique (Käfig), Seule et WMD (Françoise et Dominique Dupuy), La Veillée des abysses (James Thiérrée), Agwa (Mourad Merzouki), Fuenteovejuna (Antonio Gades), Blue Lady revistied (Carolyn Carlson).

Source: Maison de la Danse de Lyon