Nigerian choreographer Qudus Onikeku has sparked an international craze with his production Re:INCARNATION. Incorporating the spirit of the Yoruba culture, urban energy, and unique physical vocabulary, he has created a distinctive “contemporary Nigerian aesthetic.”
For this forum, Professor Chao Chi-Fang, an expert in dance anthropology, will engage in a dialogue with choreographer Qudus Onikeku, moderated by Professor Lin Ya-Ting of the Taipei National University of the Arts. They will delve into how Onikeku’s works intertwine dance, music, fashion, and urban culture to showcase the creativity and cultural confidence of Africa’s youth. From physical memories to transoceanic cultural flows, audiences will gain an understanding of the aesthetic concepts behind Re:INCARNATION and the latest trends in the global dance scene.
Moderator｜Lin Ya-Ting
Lin Ya-Ting currently serves as dean of International Affairs and associate professor in the School of Dance at Taipei National University of the Arts. In addition, she is on the supervisory board of the Taiwan Dance Research Society and co-convenor of the dance group of the International Federation for Theatre Research (IFTR).
She earned a PhD in Dance History and Theory from the University of California, Riverside in the US.
Her research specialties include contemporary dance, dance theory, and dance history.
Panelist｜Qudus Onikeku
Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Qudus Onikeku began to pursue dance in high school and has remained passionate about it ever since. He worked for the Lagos state cultural troupe and received instruction from Victor Uwagba, Isioma Williams, and Christopher Abdul. At the age of 20, he traveled to Toulouse, France to collaborate with choreographer Heddy Maalem. From 2006-2009, he trained at the renowned Le Centre national des arts du cirque (CNAC). After graduating at the age of 25, he founded his first dance company, YK Projects, in Paris. His works have been critically acclaimed and commercially successful, winning numerous awards and launching international tours. In 2014, he decided to return to Lagos and in August of that same year he founded QDance Center, which brings together artistic talent and human resources to help young Nigerian artists launch their careers.
Panelist｜Chao Chi-Fang
Chao Chi-Fang is currently an associate professor in the Department of Dance at the University of Roehampton in the UK. She specializes in dance anthropology and ethnology research and has served as a contemporary Indigenous music, dance, and theater producer and curator of the Global Indigenous Peoples Performing Arts Festival.
Her research interests and areas of expertise encompass dance anthropology theory and dance ethnography, Okinawan studies, cultural performances and identity of Hawaiian Okinawan immigrants, and Taiwan Indigenous dance and theater. She is particularly focused on cross-cultural performances and the integration of body and spirit in dance practices within East Asian communities.
