In 2017, the Théâtre Paris-Villette hosted the first Génération A, a festival dedicated to contemporary African choreography and conceived by Fatima N’Doye and Alioune Diagne. It was a great success, and a second edition was programmed as part of a larger Africa 2020 season, which was postponed due to the global pandemic. From July 19 to 23, 2021, the Théâtre Paris-Villette will welcome back Génération A, putting a new generation of dancers from across Africa centre stage.

Over the five days of the festival, two short pieces will be presented each evening, allowing the public to gain an insight into the inventiveness, originality and power of the young African contemporary scene. A range of daily events – discussions, discovery visits and even DJ sets – offer further opportunities for visitors to immerse themselves in contemporary African creativity in all its forms.

The festival’s dense programme offers a rich cartography of the current state of dance in French-speaking Africa. The Foundation’s support for Génération A forms part of its commitment to young artists through its Artists in the Community programme. In most cases, these performances are French premieres, offering an exceptional visibility to this generation of artists, and giving both dance professionals and the wider public the chance to discover their work.