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Koffi Kôkô lives in Paris and works in Europe and Africa. He was born in Benin, West Africa, where he grew up in close contact with the animist religion of his home. This symbiosis is also reflected in Koffi Kôkô’s collaboration with some of the most important representatives of western dance and theatre. Among his partners are names such as Pierre Doussaint, Bruno Boêglin, Shiro Daimon and Yoshi Oida, Gabriel Gbadamosi, the Flamenco dancer Mari Carmen Garcia and Peter Badejo.
Furthermore, he worked with Ismael Ivo, with whom he created Die Zofen after Jean Genet in March 2001 under the direction of Yoshi Oida. This production has since been presented with sensational success in Berlin, Vienna, London, Paris, São Paulo and Seoul a.o. In 2003, in London, the work was awarded the Time Out Prize for the best production of the year.
Koffi Kôkô’s production Ça is a solo piece in which he performs the signs of the Fa oracle presented by the characters of various gods. After Berlin and Düsseldorf (2000) this amazing production was shown in places like Rome, Geneva, Ouidah (Benin) and São Paulo.
The premiere of his piece Les feuilles qui resistent au vent took place in June 2003 as part of the In Transit Festival in Berlin and then toured to Festivals in Europe, Brazil and Latin America. Together with six dancers Koffi Kôkô performs a journey through the teachings of life from the traditional to the modern; a poetic body language conveys the moment of initiation and upheaval.
His latest solo production La Beauté du Diable was premiered at the Festival International de Fribourg Jullietdanse (June 2011). In December it toured to São Paulo, Brasil.
Koffi Kôkô’s international reputation extends to his work as a teacher: in Europe, Africa and the USA he has held various positions as professor and is teaching master classes. For the years 2004 and 2005 Koffi Kôkô was the artistic director of the In Transit Festival at the House of World Cultures in Berlin.
2017
