ABSTRACT
Gregory Maqoma’s solo-dance Beautiful Me interweaves movement vocabulary derived from several geopolitical regions in an attempt to deconstruct stereotypical notions of identity discourse in contemporary dance. As such, Beautiful Me investigates different choreographic approaches by three of the pioneers of contemporary dance theatre crossing cultural imaginaries between South Africa, London/Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Taking inspiration from Vincent Mantsoe, Akram Khan, and Faustin Linyekula, Maqoma’s Beautiful Me addresses the global impact of multiple colonialisms inscribed upon the contemporary dancing body as dancers today travel across nations and continents to enter the European and North American festival and touring circuits. Maqoma’s choreographic exploration thus questions cultural difference through an aesthetics of nomadic transposition that creates what the analysis conceives of as nomadic subjectivity to call for political solidarity across geopolitical borders and divides.
