Fampitaha, fampita, fampitàna
A powerful dance performance about body, memory, heritage, and the transmission of knowledge — vibrant, moving, and collaborative
Four bodies defy the colonial violence that has shaped them over the years: Soa Ratsifandrihana’s work traces, through choreography and music, the diverse narratives of life in the diaspora. Together with a guitarist and two performers, she embarks on a journey between Madagascar and various continents, in search of the history of origin, movement, memory, and their legacy. In Fampitaha, fampita, fampitàna — which roughly translates to comparison, tradition, and competition — personal and collective experiences of the diaspora are woven into a multi-layered narrative. The performance is a poetic reminder that inherited traditions can take on new forms not only through language, but also through the body, movement, and sound. Without ever losing sight of the seriousness of the subject, Ratsifandrihana and her ensemble succeed in making the power of self-empowerment and connectedness palpable in an approachable, humorous, and lighthearted way.
“Fampitaha, fampita, fampitàna brings the complexity of a multigenerational diaspora to life. This powerful yet poignant performance creates space for ambivalence, for understanding and misunderstanding—for ambiguity and tolerance. It serves as a reminder that cultural diversity is not a threat, but a lived reality in Europe." – the curators
In other words:
Fampitaha, fampita, fampitàna is a dance piece.
The title translates to: Comparison, Tradition, and Competition.
The artist Soa Ratsifandrihana explores hhrough dance and music life in the diaspora.
Diaspora means that people leave their homeland and live elsewhere.
4 people are on stage.
They travel between Madagascar and other countries.
They search for stories about origin, movement, and memory.
The performance shows that stories can be told through words, movement, and music.
A performance by Soa Ratsifandrihana
Concept & Performance Audrey Mérilus, Constant Bitihuse, Soa Ratsifandrihana
Footwork sequence Raza
Music & Performance Joël Rabesolo
Dramaturgy Lily Brieu Nguyen
Artistic collaboration Jérémie Polin Razanaparany (aka Raza), Amelia Ewu, Thi Mai Nguyen
Texts Sékou Séméga
Lighting Design Marie-Christine Soma
Costumes Harilay Rabenjamina, in collaboration with the Théâtre Varia costume workshop: Fabienne Damiean, Baptiste Alexandre, Marie-Céline Debande
Sound Design Chloé Despax, Guilhem Angot
Research on transmission & identity Prisca Ratovonasy
Outside Eye Maria Dogahe
Video Valérianne Poidevin, Antoine Chambre
Technical Director Thomas Roulleau-Gallais
Lighting Design Diane Guérin, Julien Rauche (alternating)
Sound Engineering Guilhem Angot, Paul Boulier, Jean-Louis Waflart (alternating)
Production, Distribution, and Administration Alma Office (since January 2026) – Anne-Lise Gobin, Camille Queval
Touring Production Kintana (Brussels), in collaboration with La cordiale
Languages French, English, Haitian Creole & Malagasy as spoken language, English & German surtitles
Instagram @soa_ratsifa
Admission €26 / €18 / €9 (reduced)