Yé! Means water. This performance is a powerful appeal to human defiance, to our ability to survive, to begin again and build a better world. Opposing forces confront each other in these strong bodies. Forward motion meets resistance, destructivity meets innovation. Movement is the only path forward, stagnation can only bring death. The capacity to cooperate offers hope. Acrobats and dancers fly over the stage in breathtaking formations and support each other in high pyramids, characteristic of the Guinean circus.

Cirque Baobab works in dialogue with its own history, while Guinea’s cultural heritage experiences rapid changes. These devoted artists make use of the codes of modern youth culture, confident in their belief that the poetry of traditional movement art also has a role to play in today’s society. In addition to creating and touring their shows, the company runs a social program to inspire the youth of Guinea and beyond.

Cirque Baobab, founded in 1998, consists of acrobats and dancers from Guinea and France. Kerfalla Camara, who became artistic director in 2021, rekindled the spirit of adventurous boundary-breaking that characterized the company at its inception. The directors Damien Droin and Yann Ecauvre were enlisted and, on the beach in the working class district of Dixinn in Conakry, Guinea’s capital city, they began exploring the company’s ambitions with their group of corporeal performers. Working beside the sea inspired them to use the climate crisis as a point of departure and to address Guinea’s problems with water shortage. Through their dialogues there grew a common wish to create life-changing poetry. YÉ is an appeal with the crucial message that we can only face the storm if we unite.

Kerfalla Camara Artistic director
Yann Ecauvre Director
Yann Ecauvre and Jérémy Manche Composers
Nedjma Benchaïb and Mounâ Nemri Choreographers
Solène Capmas Costume designer
Clément Bonnin Lighting designer
Ludivine Reynier and Christophe Lachevre Stage Managers
Kris Cuniah Tour Manager
Virgile Djoudi Production Assistant
Richard Djoudi Producer and Promoter
Temal Production : Tour booker

Troup of 13 acrobats/dancers: Bangoura Hamidou, Bangoura Momo, Camara Abdoul Karim, Camara Amara Den Wock, Camara Bangaly, Camara Facinet, Camara Ibrahima Sory, Camara Moussa, Camara Sekou, Keita Aicha,  Sylla Fode Kaba,Sylla M’Mahawa, Youla Mamadouba (Troop Leader).

YÉ! is presented with the support of Swedish Arts Council and Riksteatern. The tour is produced by The Swedish Circus Network.