Step into any primary or secondary school in Catalonia and you can clearly see the interculturality that enriches our country. Due to the globalisation and socio-political transformations of recent times, it is home to people of highly diverse origins, who are born here and live and work all over the country. The diversity that is so very present on the metro, on the street, in classrooms and school playgrounds is not always reflected in the theatre world. The social fabric has changed, and to highlight this new paradigm and work for equal opportunities, Marta Almirall, a Barcelona-based director and choreographer, and Anna Mbengue, a Barcelona-based dancer of Senegalese origin, have joined forces in an artistic alliance that led to Jo soc d'aquí. Both are joined by a team of dancers and musicians who live in Catalonia and come from very different places. They make up a collective of artists representing a wide range of professional and personal experiences. Furthermore, the creation of the show was enriched by regular meetings with a group of Nou Barris teenagers who offered an external perspective on the production.
Different dance and music styles are woven together in conversation with each other, allowing us to get to know a group of neighbours who gather on rooftops, by windows, in patios, on balconies and through homes that are open to connection and communication. Projections of this Barcelona patio immerse the audience in the setting of a show full of energy and colour. We’ll discover how the mix of cultures and origins enriches the stage, the city... and ourselves. In this context, the show is based on a question, but above all, on an answer: “Where are you from? I’m from here".
Co-produced by the 2023 Barcelona Grec Festival and Roseland Musical.
The project is part of the “Eix singular d'arts escèniques” performing arts programme, which in turn is part of the “Caixa d’eines” [toolkit] created by the Culture and Education Programmes of Barcelona City Council’s Neighbourhoods Plan.
This show is recommended for audiences aged 10 and above.
Audiences should note that strobe lighting effects will be used at one point in the show.
Creators and choreographic directors: Marta Almirall, Anna Mbengue. Artistic director: Marta Almirall. Choreographer: Joint creation. Répétiteur and choreography assistant: Anna Planas. External perspective: Students from Barcelona's Turó de Roquetes secondary school. Performers: Anna Mbengue, Aminata Diao(african dance), Maragda Induráin(contemporary dance and acrobatics), Yahya Sarr 'Dave' (urban dance and afrobeat), Marta Gómez/Miriam Salvador (urban dance), Guillem Ripoll (contemporary and urban dance). Composer: Oscar Tylor 'Opoku', Ismael Bamba (Colectivo Jokkoo). Visuals/stage design: Roman Cadafalch, Rubén Carrillo. Wardrobe design and creation: Marcela Salgado. Lighting design: Andreu Fàbregas. Sound and light technician: Gemma Abellán. Producer: Clara Soler. Promotion: Sílvia Framis. Producer: Roseland Musical.
