Continuing the series of Invocations, a sequence of programs traveling through four cities worldwide in anticipation of the 36th Bienal de São Paulo, the project arrives in Guadeloupe, a territory in Central America. This edition, titled Bigidi mè pa tonbé! [Totter, but never fall!], will be held from December 5 to 7 at Lafabri’k, a space led by choreographer, anthropologist, and educator Dr. Léna Blou, with dance as its central theme.

The core concept of this Invocation stems from bigidi, core element of the Guadeloupean dance gwoka. This dance, characterized by improvisation, alternates between moments of rupture and continuity in a constant effort to maintain balance. Léna Blou, a leading authority on this tradition, identifies bigidi and its mode of moving as the essential nature of the Caribbean being, which, in her words, “knows how to stabilize instability and transform disharmony into harmony.” Blou is also the creator of Bigidi’art, a concept linking dance to a life philosophy that embraces impermanence and adaptability as forms of survival and cultural resistance.

The Invocation features an extensive program bringing together twelve participants from diverse disciplines, including dance, music, poetry, visual arts, and sciences. Through performances, lectures, and workshops, they will share interdisciplinary approaches to the event’s central theme.

Know more about the participants.