How do you explain to a mother—who fought to bring her children to France and give them the best—that her son is giving up his engineering career to pursue circus arts? Through a solo performance blending dance and circus, Mahamat, born in Côte d’Ivoire and raised in France, explores the tension between personal aspirations and societal expectations, while addressing themes of familial debt and cultural clash. Co-directed by Clément Dazin, the piece weaves text with physical virtuosity to deliver a deeply personal and universal reflection on the pursuit of identity.

The origin of the project: a story of encounter

“In 2022, I met Mahamat Fofana during a residency at La Brèche PNAC in Normandy. As an apprentice at the Académie Fratellini, he was working as an acrobat on a new creation with Guillaume Clayssen. I was immediately struck by his choreographic skills and stage presence. In 2023, I invited him to join a team of artists to go to Greece and perform offsite in Eleusis, European Capital of Culture. We connected artistically, and a shared creative drive led us to gather for research workshops—first at Théâtre de Rungis, then at Transversales, a circus-centered performance venue in Verdun. It quickly became clear: we wanted to create a solo for Mahamat, incorporating text, strong choreographic presence, and an acrobatic score.”— Clément Dazin

A PROJECT LED BY MAHAMAT FOFANA AND CLÉMENT DAZIN

Solo with and by Mahamat Fofana Co-writing and direction Clément Dazin Dramaturgy and writing support Cédric Orain Lighting design & operation Tony Guérin Sound design Lisa Chevalier Sound operation Mathieu Ferrasson Administration, production, and distribution La Magnanerie – Anne Herrmann, Victor Leclère, Hortense Huyghues-Despointes, Debora Laufer, Margot Moroux

Production La Main de l’Homme

Co-productions Transversales (Scène Conventionnée Cirque, Verdun), Platform 2 Pôles Cirque in Normandy (La Brèche, Cherbourg – Cirque-Théâtre d’Elbeuf), and Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde (Centre culturel de rencontre, Bagneux)

In support of Le Manège (Scène nationale – Reims), Circa (Pôle national cirque – Auch), APACA–Graine de cirque, Fonds Régner for Creation

Residencies Théâtre de Rungis; Transversales (Verdun); La Brèche – PNAC (Normandy); Ville des Pieux; Théâtre de Saint-Lô; Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde (Bagneux); Manège (Reims); Circa (Auch); Universität Strasbourg and La Pokop (Strasbourg)

Additional support Région Grand Est; National Young Circus Professional Integration Aid program

The company is supported by the City of Strasbourg and the Ministry of Culture (DRAC Grand Est). It receives regular support from the DGCA (Direction Générale de la Création Artistique). Clément Dazin is an associated artist at Transversales in Verdun.