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Tales of an African Childby Express-so
Dance
Part of the RELATE Festival (Autumn–Winter 2025)
08 November | Doors Open: 19:30
Dance House Lefkosia
Visual Voices (CY), Generation for Change (CY), l’atelier des artistes en exil (FR), and Dance House Lefkosia invite you to Tales of an African Child by the dance duo Express-so (composed of Collins Ugo and Chinonso Onyia, also known as Spirit).
Through a fusion of Afro dance and spoken word, Tales of an African Child narrates the journey of African youth navigating identity, expectation, ambition, and belonging. The performance explores the complex realities shaped by cultural norms and parental expectations, where stability and tradition are often prioritised over passion and self-expression. In school halls, success is measured by hard study and following the “right” path. But what happens when that path is not their own?
“As children, we dreamed beyond borders. We imagined Europe, its lights, its freedoms, its promises. It was a place we thought would embrace us, where our ambitions would finally find space to bloom. But upon arrival, fantasy dissolved into reality. We were met not with open arms, but with silent stares and spoken stereotypes. Discrimination, isolation, and the aching question followed: ‘Why am I different? Why am I not enough?’
Tales of an African Child doesn’t just dwell in the pain, it celebrates resilience. It reveals how in foreign places, we found familiarity with each other. Strangers became friends, and friends became chosen families. Together, we carved our belongings, danced through the silence, and spoke the truth our younger selves needed to hear.”
Collins and Spirit are joined by Q Smith, with soundtracks by Giggs.
Express-so is a newly founded Afro-dance duo by Collins Ugo and Chinonso Onyia, also known as Spirit. Their name reflects their philosophy: to express oneself, and to do so in an authentic way. Their collaboration grows from a shared passion for Afro-dance, rooted in their Nigerian heritage, as both a vocabulary of movement and a tool for storytelling. Spirit is an award-winning dancer and graduate in Economics, while Collins holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science.
Express-so participates in RELATE (REveaL – Art To Exchange), where they benefit from the mentorship of Lia Haraki, a leading figure in Cyprus’s contemporary dance and performance scene, whose guidance supports the development of Express-so’s artistic practice throughout the residency. RELATE is co-funded by the European Union through the CERV programme.
#RELATEproject, #Culture, #Art #CreativeExchange #sociallyengagedarts
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Dance House Lefkosia, Οδός Παρθενώνος 23, 1105 Λευκωσία, Κύπρος, Nicosia, Cyprus
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