Ce mois ci nous vous proposons une interview d'une compagnie artistique ivoirienne 👇
How did the idea of creating your association started? What are the impacts today?
The REM'DE company is an artistic ensemble that includes more than thirty artists coming from various horizons of the Ivory Coast: from the East, the South, the North and the Center. It exists since 2003. It also has a Foundation REM'DE which was created in 2011 and manages the Company. It emerges in the field of dance, music and traditional songs. Its specialty is the valorization, the perpetuation and the conservation of the Ivorian and especially African culture.
The company was born from an observation: that of valuing, preserving and transmitting the values and the richness of the African culture through the dances, songs and music of our country. We can affirm that today, the company REM' DE marked of its print the festivals to which it took part through quite a lot of countries, in the world. It had 22 prizes during these festivals in Africa and in Asia etc. It continues its way, today, inescapable in the valorization of the heritage.
We have trained several young people today who are autonomous, who live from art. Professionals of the trade; most of them are dance teachers in Europe, in Asia. They have also created their own structure. We also do the reintegration of young people through culture and the eradication of poverty through the arts.
The heart of AfrikAsia is this cultural bridge between Asia and Africa. You too have traveled extensively (also in Asia) and won many awards, what is the secret of this success and how did you get to Asia?
The secret is simple: have faith, perseverance, hard work, a lot of research in my country [...] . It's not easy to get to where we are [...] (We have) A dynamic team that embraces the vision; so work, nothing but work. For the awards, in Asia, I was nominated Word Master in 2010.
The Ministry of Culture through its Directorate of Promotion of Arts and Culture in
abbreviated DPAC contacted me to inform me that I was selected for a world festival of all the arts that will take place in South Korea and that I am among the candidates to represent my country [...].
I was selected at all stages of pre-selection and in the end I remained the only candidate from Côte d'Ivoire. Taking part in this great world event where cultures intermingle was for me a great career experience. I performed in a gym in a One-Man-Show for 20 minutes and I got the Word Master trophy. Since that day, my career and that of REM'DE has taken another turn, an ascension. After the Word Master, we have won more than 15 other awards.
There is something that caught our attention on your social media: the publication of this very philosophical saying by the way: "The eagle does not eat dead things, it feeds only on fresh prey." What did you mean by that?
Thank you for this beautiful question about this quote. You know, the Africa that I proudly value has its source in what we used to call proverbs that have a very deep meaning. By this saying, we meant not to rely on past successes but to keep moving forward, to make new conquests. You have to leave the past behind you.
The Royal Eagle being the emblem of the Company REM' DE, it arrived a moment in our artistic career and in particular mine as first person in charge and choreographer, a big test on March 09, 2021 in 14H in the cultural space of Yopougon Niangon our seat, our offices, the room of repetition and all our patrimony acquired since 18 years of career all that left in a fire. The firemen, after their investigation, concluded that it was due to a short circuit [....] Everything had just collapsed in the life of the REM'DE Company. Props, costumes, instruments, state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment that we bought during our various tours to be more professional and so on... Some of them are memories of cultural exchanges that have gone up in smoke; this cannot be explained. Will REM'DE live on? Did this fire really erase the existence of the
company's existence?
As a human being, I had asked myself the question; "will REM'DE rise from its ashes? The one in whom I have always believed told me "yes it is still possible".
I would like to make the clarification that there were two sayings before this one: "Our way to communicate and to announce great things". To come back to it we wanted to say that REM'DE will not stay down, in the memories of the fire. "The dead prey for us are identified with the fire". "The fresh prey" that the eagle eats is a metaphor. The eagle will bounce back with a new vision, a new perspective, new projects, another style, a new way of presenting African heritage.
What can we expect from you in terms of novelty in the coming months?
In March 2023, we will perform a new show, a musical called "WARI" you have the scoop on this revelation. WARI in local language means money. Good servant, bad master, money answers to everything.
If you had one piece of advice to give to all those who follow you, what would it be?
Culture is an essential link in the development of any people, our identity and our values. Let's cultivate our values, be proud of them.
We can do everything by what characterizes us "our culture". Long live the Ivorian and African culture, but also long live all these peoples such as those of Asia who are eager to share theirs, to make it known to the whole world.
Let us work hand in hand so that our cultures do not disappear.
Thank you to REM'DE company for answering our questions! Please feel free to like, comment and share this interview if you enjoyed it 😉
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