Impasse

Mufutau Yusuf's Impasse is an attempt to understand the politics of the Black body in a contemporary western society, interrogating notions of representation, misrepresentation, and the lack of representation.

Impasse is a powerful, driving, high-speed performance with a set and props that reference African immigration, and confronting the biased narratives etched onto Black bodies throughout history. These narratives, steeped in cultural imperialism, violence, exploitation, marginalisation, and powerlessness, are laid bare with raw physicality and emotional intensity.

By challenging the historical racial projections of blackness – its crudeness, threat, sexuality, rage and immorality – the performance unveils its power, grace, sensuality, tenderness, intelligence and love. Impasse goes beyond mere exploration and invites a reshaping of our sense of self and community. It reclaims our humanity and celebrates the autonomy and self-determination of Black bodies.

Artist Biographies

Mufutau Yusuf

Mufutau is a Nigeria-born Irish choreographer, performer, teacher, and curator based between Ireland and Brussels. A graduate of Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance, Mufutau is a dancer with Wim Vandekeybus/Ultima Vez in Belgium and in Ireland with Liz Roche Company and John Scott’s Irish Modern Dance Theatre. As a performer, Mufutau has worked with Emma Martin/United Fall, Catherine Young Dance, Pan Pan Theatre, Anton Lackhy, Ricardo Ambrozio, Ian Kaler, to name a few. Mufutau debuted his first full evening work in 2022, titled ‘Òwe’, which premiered in New York and subsequently at Dublin Fringe Festival and various other venues and festivals across Ireland and Europe. His most recent work ‘Impasse’ premiered at the Dublin Dance Festival 2024. Mufutau is a resident choreographer with Luail, Ireland’s national dance company, an associate artist with Solstice Arts Centre and Liz Roche Company, and a recipient of the Irish Arts Council Dance Bursary award 2020 and Project Award 2022 and 2023. His passion for improvisation and sharing has bought him to share his teaching practice to various platforms, festivals, and institutions such as Tipperary International Dance Festival, University of Limerick, the American University in Washington, among others. Mufutau is also a co-cutor of ‘TW1’ (Train With One), a bimonthly workshop platform which aims to bridge the gap between the Irish contemporary dance scene with that of continental Europe.

Shafiki Sseggayi

Born in a small Ugandan village, Shafiki Sseggayi is a dynamic dancer and choreographer whose artistry bridges African tradition and global contemporary dance. Immersed in traditional Ugandan music from a young age, his journey took a pivotal turn at 15 when he moved to Kampala, discovering African contemporary dance a medium that unlocked his expressive power, energy, and profound devotion to storytelling through movement.

Shafiki’s pursuit of excellence led him to the Amsterdam University of the Arts, where he graduated in 2013 with a degree in Urban Contemporary Dance. His training fused technical precision with raw emotion, setting the stage for an international career.
From 2014 to 2020, he served as a principal dancer of Johannes Wieland Dance Company at Germany’s Staatstheater Kassel.

His collaborations with icons like Wim Vandekeybus (Ultima Vez) and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui highlight his versatility and cross-cultural appeal.

His choreographic work, deeply rooted in Ugandan culture, has been showcased through renowned ensembles like Mutumizi Dance Theatre , Keiga Dance Company and Latin Flavour Uganda reflecting his mastery as both performer and visionary creator.
Since 2020, Shafiki has continued to innovate with Tanz Kassel under Thorsten Teubl, while crafting commissioned works for global artists and mentoring emerging talent.
A cultural ambassador, he bridges continents through movement, championing African authenticity and inspiring a new generation to explore the universal language of dance.

Tom Lane

Tom Lane is a Dublin-based composer. He studied composition at Balliol College Oxford, the Royal Academy of Music and the Berlin University of the Arts. He recently received his PhD in composition from University College Cork. He works frequently to create new music for dance, theatre and opera productions as well as new scores for instrumental and vocal ensembles. Tom has been commissioned to write music for the Banbha Quartet, Cantairí Óga Átha Cliath, Cork Opera House, John Scott Irish Modern Dance Theatre, Northern Ireland Opera, Cantairí Avondale, The Abbey Theatre, Kirkos Ensemble, Pipeworks Organ Festival, The Globe Theatre, The Almeida Theatre and The Ark Theatre. "The Wanderer", a new dance opera with music by Tom Lane, libretto by Jessica Traynor and choreography by John Scott was performed in Cork Opera House as part of the 2022 Cork Midsummer Festival. Recent work for theatre includes composition for the Abbey Theatre's 2022 production of "The Weir" directed by Caitríona McLaughlin, and the Olivier Award nominated "The Tragedy of Macbeth" at London's Almeida Theatre directed by Yaël Farber and starring Saoirse Ronan and James McArdle. In 2023 Tom's new work "Nocturne" received its premiere by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gavin Maloney as part of the CMC Composer Lab programme.

Matt Burke

Matt Burke is a lighting designer for theatre and dance. Recent designs include “Ironbound” by Martyna Majok at The Abbey Theatre Peacock Stage at Dublin Theatre Festival 2023, Once Off Productions & Galway International Arts Festival “Unspeakable Conversations” by Christian O'Reilly at GIAF 2024, and Mufutau Yusuf’s contemporary dance duo “IMPASSE”, touring throughout 2024. He has worked extensively with The National Irish Language Theatre, An Taibhdhearc, at the Galway International Arts Festival from 2013 to 2018. In 2019 he graduated with an MFA in Lighting design from The Lir Academy, Trinity College Dublin. He has been awarded the Arts Council Agility Award twice - in 2021 to support research and developing artistic process, and in 2023 with mentorship from eminent UK lighting designer Paule Constable.

Alison Brown

Alison Brown is a multidisciplinary costume designer known for her sculptural approach to costume making. Having studied Printed Textiles at Edinburgh College of Art, pattern and texture continue to inform her aesthetic and she often incorporates manipulated fabrics into her work, inspired by traditional crafting techniques and using a wide variety of conventional and unconventional materials. She is a designer and also a maker, with many years experience creating garments to support performance, and contribute to the overall artistic vision. Alison supports the Theatre Green Book initiative, advocating for a sustainable approach to designing for performance.