Ahmed Khemis

A contemporary dancer and choreographer, Ahmed Khemis drew the figure of Bou Sâadia from his cultural heritage and his own memory as a child in Algeria. Healer, beggar, dancer, musician, he walks from a village to another playing the »goumbri« (bass drum), the tambourine et the »karkabou«, in search of his daughter. A lonely long life walk gathering the crowds. The choreographer –who gave his compagny the name of Jawal – the traveller – embodies this charachter, providing a perspective on his own search and wandering as an artist and human being. . Starting from this traditional dancing, Ahmed Khemis makes it as his own, reworking it, combining it with african and indian steps , going from gnawa sounds to experimental music. His dance is powered by emotion, spontaneity and happens to become a creative frenzy going to the trance. Beyond this story, merges the figure and destiny of the black community in north africa.