Zab Maboungou facts for kids
Zab Maboungou is a talented dancer, writer, and choreographer from France and Congo. She is known for her unique dance style and for teaching others about African dance.
Growing Up
Zab Maboungou was born in Paris, France. Her father was from Congo, and her mother was French. She grew up in Congo-Brazzaville. Her father was involved in the movement to make Congo independent. After a big change in the government, her family moved back to Paris. Later, while studying philosophy at university, she met a man from Quebec. She then moved to Quebec with him.
Her Dance Career
Maboungou's dance work is special. She doesn't just follow modern or old African dance styles. Instead, she explores what dance means and how it gets its name. In 1988, she started her own dance company called Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata in Montreal. This is where she is based.
Since then, she has created and performed many dances, both by herself and with groups. One of her famous works is Mozongi, which won the Prix de la danse de Montréal in 2015.
Zab Maboungou strongly supports dance and performing arts from Africa and its people around the world. Because of her dedication, she has won many awards. She was even honored at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for her work with Haitian dance and drumming.
Since 2004, Nyata Nyata has also been a school. It offers a two-year program to train people in artistic and professional dance.
Since 2015, Zab Maboungou and her company have been part of the International Dance Council. This is a big group that connects dancers worldwide.
In May 2019, Maboungou was given a special award called L'Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec. The CBC called her a "Queen Mother." In 2021, Zab Maboungou received the Governor General's Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. This is Canada's highest honor for artists.
Dance Works
Here are some of the dance pieces Zab Maboungou has created:
- 1993: Réverdanse
- 1997: Mozongi
- 1999: Incantation
- 2005: Lwáza
- 2006: Nsamu
- 2007: Décompte
- 2009: Gestes Dé/libérés
- 2010: Montréal by Night
- 2018: Wamunzo
Books She Wrote
- Heya... danse ! Historique, poétique et didactique de la danse africaine, CIDIHCA, Montréal, Canada, 2005
Awards and Honors
- 1999: "Grand hommage" from the Ministry of Culture of Cameroon
- 2003: "Pioneer of African Dance in Canada" from Dance Immersion, Toronto
- 2015: Prix de la danse de Montréal, Prix du CAM for cultural diversity in dance
- 2019: L’Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec
- 2021: Governor General's Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award
