Contemporary Afro-fusion Performance Art • ilorin Nigeria • 4 weeks
Pre-production
1 week
Production
2 weeks
Post-production
1 week
Published
Launch 2 days after post-production
This project reimagines the ancient Egungun masquerade tradition of Ilorin through a contemporary performing arts lens. Instead of a full religious ceremony, we create a 20-minute staged performance that blends the visual power of Egungun costumes (with permission and guidance from local elders) with modern dance, live drumming, and spoken word poetry in Yoruba and English. The narrative follows a young Ilorin native rediscovering their cultural identity after years away, guided by ancestral spirits represented by dancers in stylized masquerade-inspired wear. The performance will be filmed in high-quality video for a portfolio piece and potential festival submission. What makes this unique is its respectful yet innovative approach to sacred tradition. We collaborate with a local Egungun custodian to ensure cultural authenticity while pushing artistic boundaries. The piece will be performed at the historic Ilorin Emir's Palace courtyard, with its ancient architecture as a backdrop, or at the University of Ilorin's main auditorium if palace access is restricted. This project taps into the global trend of 'African futurism' and reclamation of indigenous art forms, giving the editor a rich tapestry of visuals to weave into a compelling narrative.
This project reimagines the ancient Egungun masquerade tradition of Ilorin through a contemporary performing arts lens. Instead of a full religious ceremony, we create a 20-minute staged performance that blends the visual power of Egungun costumes (with permission and guidance from local elders) with modern dance, live drumming, and spoken word poetry in Yoruba and English. The narrative follows a young Ilorin native rediscovering their cultural identity after years away, guided by ancestral spirits represented by dancers in stylized masquerade-inspired wear. The performance will be filmed in high-quality video for a portfolio piece and potential festival submission. What makes this unique is its respectful yet innovative approach to sacred tradition. We collaborate with a local Egungun custodian to ensure cultural authenticity while pushing artistic boundaries. The piece will be performed at the historic Ilorin Emir's Palace courtyard, with its ancient architecture as a backdrop, or at the University of Ilorin's main auditorium if palace access is restricted. This project taps into the global trend of 'African futurism' and reclamation of indigenous art forms, giving the editor a rich tapestry of visuals to weave into a compelling narrative.
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