By John Owoo
(Lomé – Togo)
Synaptic Resonances, choreographed by Tréma Michaël Rakotonjatovo, provided a hypnotic and sensory conclusion to the Off Biennial 2026 at the Maison des Arts et du Social in Togo’s capital, Lomé.
From its noticeable opening image, the performance created a world where tradition, technology, and the human body intersect in a constant state of change, with the audience very engaged and seemingly glued to their seats.
The piece began in near darkness, featuring a solitary dancer whose head was covered by a remarkable sculptural mask. Her controlled, almost meditative movements gradually unfolded as geometric projections—based on Madagascan Zafimaniry motifs—flickered across a large screen. This visual interplay between stillness and movement immediately created a dialogue between ancestral symbolism and modern digital expression.
As the performance progressed, three more dancers joined the stage, broadening the choreographic vocabulary into an energetic mix of unity and independence, while engaging solos captured the audience’s attention, sparking cheers and applause.
Performed by Adjaratou Yerima, Kafui Dogbe, Farouze Gneni, and Keziah Bagna, the quartet moved across the stage with a captivating mix of control and spontaneity. Their bodies seemed to respond not just to each other but to invisible currents of energy, creating a layered piece that felt both organized and improvised.
The soundscape—featuring a blend of musical textures from artists including Enam and Camille Lellouche—complemented the choreography with subtle precision. Rather than dictating movement, the music functioned as an atmospheric partner, allowing the dancers to inhabit shifting rhythms and emotional tones.
Rakotonjatovo’s approach defies traditional storytelling. Instead, Synaptic Resonances functions as an “architecture of flows,” where each gesture adds to a dynamic landscape of movement and meaning. Real-time video mapping further boosts this immersive experience, turning the stage into a responsive environment where bodies act as both transmitters and receivers of energy.
Indeed, by dissolving the boundary between observer and performer, the piece positions viewers as active participants—“synapses” within a larger, collective organism. This conceptual framing enhances the experience, fostering a greater awareness of presence, connection, and shared space.
In its fusion of experimental dance, digital art, and improvisational sound, Synaptic Resonances succeeds both as a performance and a statement: a call to rethink how bodies communicate, how space is inhabited, and how meaning is created in real time. It is a quietly powerful work that lingers, resonating beyond the stage.
A Pan-African initiative, OFF Biennial 2026, aims to professionalize creative cultural industries. It includes workshops for artists and art critics, led by l’Agence NO’OXPERTISES. It is part of the OFF program of the Biennale of Arts in Public Spaces, in collaboration with organizations like Kadam Kadam, Nord Ouest Cultures, and the plateforme noocultures.info.
