Congo-Brazzaville appoints the first of its "mopacho" dancers
Night atmosphere in Brazzaville (illustrative image).
Getty Images/Ron Sanford
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
At the end of the first national
mopacho
competition , organized by the Ministry of Cultural Industry, Congo-Brazzaville elected, on Saturday January 7, the greatest dancer.
He is from a region of the Interior.
A dance created in 1990 in the capital, the
mopacho
has been gaining momentum lately, thanks in particular to social networks.
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With our correspondent in Brazzaville,
Loïcia Martial
On the stage of the Canal Olympia cinema instead of the Rond-point Poto-Poto, this competition brought together twelve competitors, representing all of the country's departments.
After more than an hour of demonstrations, the jury, which noted that "
the dancers put heart into what they do
", delivered the verdict.
“
Even the moms danced that too
”
"
The first comes to us from the Cuvette department (north)
", launched the master of the ceremony.
It is therefore Reich Ngassaye Edzoualiko, 22, who is the winner.
He received a check for 800,000 CFA francs (more than 1,200 euros) before recalling the history of the dance.
“
Before, the
mopacho
was not danced like that.
He danced by pulling only the feet.
Even moms were dancing that too
,” he recalled.
From now on, the dancers have their whole body in motion, move their kidneys without stopping, lift their feet a few centimeters off the ground.
To these gestures, it is sometimes necessary to add the "rolls" forward and backward.
The
satisfaction
of Lydie Pongault
After presenting the prize to the first winner, in front of two other government colleagues, Lydie Pongault, Minister of Cultural Industry, was delighted with the success of the event: "
All the French departments were represented today today for this competition that we wanted to organize at the beginning of the year 2023, so that at the level of culture we are gathered
”, she indicated.
Candidates from Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire took second and third place respectively.
►Also read
: Congolese rumba, from its origins to its inclusion in the Intangible Heritage of Humanity
(
December 15, 2021
)
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