Jump links

The Dialogue Series V: Maman Wawina
Lesser Told Story

Faustin Linyekula

How to Make a Life Dance Performance
The photo shows a dark stage on which three barefoot performers move in unison. They wear different masks made from natural materials and patterned clothing.
© Faustin Linyekula
The photo shows a Black performer standing front-facing within a large picture frame. The frame is held by two hands, presenting the performer like a living portrait. The dark stage background draws attention to the performer's face, posture, and the frame.
© Faustin Linyekula
© Faustin Linyekula
How to Make a Life Dance Performance

The Dialogue Series V: Maman Wawina
Lesser Told Story

Faustin Linyekula

Choreographer Faustin Linyekula explores dancer Maman Wawina’s 51-year career with the National Ballet of Zaire. Founded in 1974 by President Mobutu Sese Seko, it was intended to serve as a cultural hub for the construction of a national identity.

More information about the event will follow.

Infos
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Languages: French, English, German with German translation
  • World premiere
Accessibility

Accessibility of Location

The venue is wheelchair accessible. An elevator may be available.
An accessible stop is located near the venue.
Disabled parking is available near the venue.
The venue has an accessible toilet.
Assistance dogs are welcome at these venue. 
Sponsors and Supporters

Ein Projekt im Rahmen von „How to Make a Life?“. 

„How to make a life“, ein Festival des Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm im Rahmen von WDC 2026, wird gefördert durch die Kulturstiftung des Bundes, gefördert von dem Beauftragten für Kultur und Medien sowie gefördert durch den Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain, die Aventis Foundation im Rahmen der Vertrauensförderung und durch das Goethe-Institut Peking.

WDC 2026 wird gefördert durch das Land Hessen, die Stadt Frankfurt am Main und den Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain.

über “The Lesser Told Story”

“The Lesser Told Story” is an invitation to connect. The festival format invites four outstanding artists, storytellers, and performers to try something new: Instead of presenting a finished performance, they set out to discover their own hidden, previously untold stories. These can be expressed with or without words—through movement, dance, poetry, or relationships.

  • Deborah Hay, the founder of postmodern dance, presents her latest work, “Performance Club”—a performance that unfolds anew each evening over the course of nine days, blurring the boundaries between performer and audience, between art and life.
  • Choreographer Faustin Linyekula sets out with a 75-year-old former dancer to trace the history of the first National Ballet in Zaire.
  • In a duet with her mother, Erzsébet Gyarmati, choreographer Eszter Salamon once again explores her long-standing research into the relationship between mothers and daughters.
  • Author and performer Tim Etchells (Forced Entertainment) opens up his writing practice to the audience and invites them to reflect on how a life can be told.