In May of 1999, more than 350 Congolese refugees, mostly young men, were arrested and disappeared from Brazzaville on the Congo river. The 350 + millions of moving targets is a multimedia dance theater event that addresses this event and the ongoing refugee crisis in Africa and the Mediterranean. An intergenerational, multidisciplinary dance theater performance the project addresses the ongoing refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. The work draws on choreographer Byb Bibene’s experiences as a refugee during the Congolese civil war and the role dance, music, and theater plays in healing trauma.

Founded in 2008 by dance artist Byb Chanel Bibene in the Republic of Congo, Kiandanda Dance Theater (KDT) is an international performing arts company based in San Francisco that makes choreographic work exploring themes around social justice issues. KDT dance aesthetic is rooted in the dance cultures of the Kongo people of Central Africa. The company creates ethnic and contemporary dance works and aspires to bridge performing artists from Africa and the US via its two programs Mbongui Square Festival and Tracing Africa Circle-African Dance Histories and Philosophies.

Byb Chanel Bibene (Choreographer)
Bibene is a dance educator, choreographer and performer working in theater, ethnic, Afro urban, and contemporary dance forms. His own technical and aesthetic sensibility is rooted in the culture and dances of his country of origin, the Republic of Congo. He has toured the world and performed internationally with companies and choreographers originating from Africa, Europe and the USA. Bibene owns a Bachelor in Science, Economics/Finances from Marien Ngouabi University/Congo, an MFA in Dance Creative Practice, earning the Dean’s award for Academic Excellence from Saint Mary's College of California. He is the artistic Director of Kiandanda Dance Theater and Mbongui Square Festival.

Claudette Decarbone, l, BA, MA,PHD (Dance collaborator)
Currently saving the world one psyche at a time as a psychotherapist in private practice 10 years. Previous Performance 2000 to Current Multiple Dance Performances at ODC and Dance Mission, Afro Brazilian and Samba. Previously co-wrote and performed a play based on Angels in America around reactions to the new millennium using the style of Anna Devere Smith. Traveled to Bali for a graduate Consciousness/Dreamwork seminar and created and performed a dance piece based on a character I brought to life (as part of the seminar).

Angelina Ponzio Labate (Dance collaborator)
Angelina is a choreographer, dancer, performer, teaching artist, documentarian and the Founding Director of Snowflake Productions which “celebrates our dance communities and their stories through choreography, videography and photography.” Ms. Angelina teaches, choreographs, performs and films throughout the Bay Area and beyond. She sees herself as a student and teacher for life.

Daria Gara (Dance collaborator)
Daria arrived in the Bay as a 6-year-old refugee from Moscow, Russia. He began studying dance at 25. Daria’s movement work explores displacement, chronic illness, being transgender and mixed race.

Dwayne Worthington (Dance collaborator)
A Paterson New Jersey native, hails from Durham, North Carolina. Dwayne received his MFA in dance from California State University Long Beach and his BFA from North Carolina School of the Arts.  He  has worked with Gaspard and Dancers, Zaccho Dance Theater, Robert Moses’ Kin and Kunst-Stoff.  He was also a company member of Nicholas Leichter Dance. Dwayne has had the great pleasure of working with such choreographers as Betty Jones, Sherone Price, Lynn Jackson, Mark Dendy, and Dominique Boivin.