Smala, Nomadic Choreographic Laboratories in the Mediterranean
At the heart of the project: Engaging with the energies, artistic writings, and expressions, and connecting them with hip hop as the common thread.
Thus, Smala, an itinerant project, anchors itself in creative territories through nomadic choreographic laboratories.
These laboratories are co-constructed with each partner. From choreographic workshops to the creation of a dance film, from rehearsal rooms to public spaces, from urban areas to the enhancement of heritage through dance, from experimental laboratories to the creation of small choreographic forms, from creative workshops to public outreach and mediation workshops. Each one has its own unique identity and adapts to the local context. They can serve various objectives as long as they focus on creativity, transmission, sharing, and creating connections.
“Our ambition is to create constellations of artists and cultural actors who work together on common projects, whether big or small.” Kader Attou
La Smala de Casa
The association Casamémoire and the Accrorap company, led by Kader Attou, have teamed up to create an interaction between hip hop dancers from Casablanca and the city’s architectural heritage.
Casamémoire, a Moroccan cultural association founded in 1995, aims to preserve 20th-century architectural heritage in Morocco.
Three 5-day workshops are scheduled between December 2024 and May 2025 in different locations around the city to foster a dialogue between dance and architectural heritage, breathing new life into historic sites.
In Casablanca, a first workshop took place in December, bringing together Kader Attou, four dancers from Casa, and two dancers from Accrorap. Together, they took over the Assayag building, right in the heart of the city, as part of preparations for the upcoming Casablanca Heritage Days, scheduled for next May.
La Smala of Tunis
In Tunis, an intensive ten-day workshop was held in November 2024 under the artistic direction of Kader Attou, with the participation of Bouba and Anne-Sophie Dupoux.
Eight days of dancing with a group of fifteen dancers, along with two days dedicated to outreach. Wonderful encounters emerged from this experience, and the adventure continues in 2025!
In Cairo, Kader Attou and Anne-Sophie Dupoux made an initial scouting trip at the end of November. They had enriching artistic encounters, thus laying the foundations for a new Smala. A cooperation project is currently being co-developed with Egyptian cultural stakeholders.
In Athens and Cyprus, the first exchanges have been established for a future production. This will involve a group of dancers, already identified, who participated in the exceptional transmission project of the piece The Roots in 2021.
