International Dance Day – 29th April – message from Africa

The Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute founded the International Dance Day in 1982 to celebrate the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810) who was the creator of modern ballet. The day is intended to celebrate dance, revel in the universality of this art form, cross all political, cultural and ethnic banners, and bring people together through the common language of dance.

For 2018, to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the International Theatre Institute, and to underline the cross-cultural and international aspect of dance, five authors have been asked to write a message, one from each of the five UNESCO regions – Africa, the Americas, Arab Countries, Asia Pacific and Europe.

The message from Africa is by Salia Sanou from Burkina Faso. You can find information about Salia online, and an English translation of his message for International Dance Day is available in pdf format.

[Text adapted with permission from International Dance Day web site]