In 1974, boxers Muhammad Ali and George Foreman faced off in Kinshasa (DRC – Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the famous ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ match. Salia Sanou draws inspiration from this event for *À nos combats*. In the ring, two women — a dancer and a boxer — take centre stage as they go head-to-head. Surrounding them are their coaches, Lÿdie La PëstE, the master of ceremonies, percussionist Sega Seck, and around sixty amateur participants invited to play the part of supporters. Their movements intertwine and echo one another: footwork, close-quarters combat, dodges, hooks — raw movement becomes dance.
By transposing the conventions of boxing — its rituals, its tension — onto the stage, Salia Sanou asks us what this combat sport reveals when viewed from a different perspective: brutality or nobility? A test of our limits? An outlet for the violence in our societies?
*À nos combats* explores violence, boundaries and tolerance — and, in the heart of the ring, pays tribute to women who fight, in Africa and elsewhere.
