Kolkata gets a dose of Africian culture

The stage was a savannah and performers, gazelles sprinting across the stage.
No, it’s not a scene out of an African dream, but an evening in Kolkata, which saw Akosua Boakye and Mohammed Dordoh lead a pack of dancers from the Ananda Shankar Centre for Performing Arts, moving to their choreographed Contemporary African Dance (CAD).
The programme began with Mohammed entering the hall from the rear, playing the djembe. Ratul Shankar gave able support to Mohammed on percussion. The hall erupted in applause when Akosua herself took the stage towards the end. “The dancers picked up the moves very fast because of our cultural similarities,” said Akosua, who choreographed all the numbers. The performance ended with Mohammed expressing his desire for an encore by saying, “I am looking forward to coming back soon.”