Production Details

Religion Kitendi revisits the history of slavery and colonization through Black people’s cultural dances. The project looks at how European fashion styles have impacted African descendent people globally. The project underlines the psychological, political, and economic implications of dress codes in Black communities. It analyses how fashion intertwines with colonization and African history and African-Americans pre and post-civil rights era movements. The piece addresses the dichotomy that while “feel-good” may become healing, it simultaneously contributes to the impoverishment of underprivileged communities. This in turn results in the invisibility of Black designers, resentment of the European apparel industry, the increase of the economic income gap and the continued cycle of racial violence.

Byb Chanel 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 has had the honor to work with choreographers such as Serge Bissadissi, Orchy Nzaba, Salia Sanou, Reggy Wilson, Johanna Haigood, Amara Tabor Smith, Latanya D. Tigner, Paco Gomes, Paco Decina, Henry Johnson, and Boris Nganga. Artistic Director of Kiandanda Dance Theater, Bibene founded Mbongui Square festival, a multidisciplinary arts festival that gathers dance, music, spoken word and visual artists from the Bay Area and across the world. Bibene is also facilitator of the monthly Talk series called Tracing Africa Circle-African Dance Histories and Philosophies. A two-time nominated for the Izzies-Isadora Duncan Dance Awards, Bibene has won 3rd place at the African Choreographic Contest and the Radio France International Dance Award. He also has been recipient of residency program and grants from Zellerbach Family Foundation, Dancers’ Group Cash Grant, Bisemi Foundation, Furthur Foundation, San Francisco Arts Commission, OMI Dance, ODC Sandbox, Onye Ozi Fellowship, CrossOver Residency, CHIME, OMI Dance Residency, CounterPulse Performing Diaspora, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center Artist in Residency. Outside of his professional careers of Theater and Dance, Bibene has a passion for writing. He is author of numerous poetry and shorts. Bibene owns a Bachelor in Science and MF, Economics/Finances from Marien Ngouabi University/Brazzaville, an MFA in Dance Creative Practice and a certificate in Dance Production Management, earning the Dean’s award for Academic Excellence from Saint Mary's College of California.