The practice of creativity can often be either a solitary task or a group effort. For instance, a playwright may silently string words together on a computer keyboard, gradually transforming ideas into written scripts. Conversely, the essence of a choreographer’s work relies heavily on living participants. Once they step foot into the dance studio, interpersonal communication and a devotion to teamwork are necessary steps towards constructing their masterpieces.
Mufutau Yusuf’s frequent emphasis on the importance of collaboration in his choreography is surprisingly noticeable when talking about his works. His most recent project, Impasse, which made its debut at the Dublin Dance Festival this year, is a true testament to this. This project, commissioned and co-produced by the Liz Roche Company, is a duet featuring Yusuf and Lucas Katangila. It seeks to counter biased and prejudiced portrayals of black males, drawing from both history and present-day depictions.
As an esteemed dancer known to Irish audiences, Yusuf’s extraordinary talent was identified early on in his career. Arriving in rural County Meath from Lagos, Nigeria, at the age of nine, Yusuf took up dancing with the Dublin Youth Dance Company during his adolescence. His education wasn’t just confined to learning dance movements. Youth dance companies endorse a philosophy that encourages individual skill development, while also fostering respect for other artists. For Yusuf, this was where he first grasped the correlation between successful artistry and collaboration.
At the age of 18, Yusuf landed his first professional gig when John Scott, a noted choreographer, enlisted him as a last-minute addition for a performance of Fall and Recover at the ground-breaking La MaMa club in New York. It was a truly momentous first gig for him. Scott’s one-hour dance piece was developed together with torture survivors from Spirasi, Ireland’s national rehabilitation centre for torture victims, who performed in conjunction with professional dancers. This non-narrative presentation delicately encapsulated the victims’ narratives and experiences. This profound and respectful collaborative experience left an indelible impact on Yusuf.
The critic from the New York Times, Gia Kourlas, recognised the magnetising presence of Nigerian-born Mufutau Kehinde Yusuf in a particular performance she viewed. His extraordinary leap appeared as if he was soaring higher with each bounce, holding a sense of tranquility and displaying a hint of melancholy in his gaze that was utterly captivating. These qualities, along with his rapid-fire precision, are hallmarks of his performances, in addition to a profound ability to remain composedly still.
Following this New York show, Yusuf started to seriously consider a career in dance. This led him to enrol in Austria’s Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance whilst also making occasional returns to Ireland for professional performances. His journey into choreography commenced in Salzburg unexpectedly. As per tradition, students were given free studio time on the last Friday of each semester. Yusuf saw an opportunity and put down his name.
Completely unsure about what he would create, Yusuf embraced the thrill of the unanticipated pressure to deliver. From working with several choreographers in the past, he had gained confidence in his own ideas and their valuable contribution to the dance. This experience would later prove instrumental when he took on the role of a choreographer himself, fostering a collaborative environment in the studio.
Following his time in Salzburg, Yusuf split his time between Belgium and Ireland, performing with a variety of dance companies such as Catherine Young Dance, Pan Pan Theatre, Emma Martin/United Fall, Liz Roche Company, Scott’s Irish Modern Dance Company, and also securing a role in the acclaimed Brussels-based company, Ultima Vez.
Although choreography wasn’t at the forefront during this period of his career, Yusuf’s defining moment occurred in 2022 with Òwe. This poignant solo was a deep exploration into his personal connection to his Yoruban identity and a reflection on how his cultural consciousness had been shaped. Using everyday items like film rolls and cassette tapes as instruments, he raised broader queries about the impact of personal and institutional archives on shaping and preserving cultural identity. The critical aspects of his performance were lauded when he performed at both the Irish Arts Centre in New York and at the Dublin Fringe Festival.
Being the sole performer gave Yusuf an element of flexibility that he deeply appreciated. “Each show was unique,” he shares. “I had the liberty to experience the fluctuating energy of each presentation changing on a nightly basis.” If Òwe presented a different perspective of his identity every night, that identity then had the potential to evolve in the future. “I aim to reflect on the dance in a decade or so and evaluate how my connection with my Yoruban origins might have shifted,” says Yusuf.
For him, the connection between artistic triumph and teamwork was ingrained at an early stage. Impasse is a highly personal production. Premiered as a developing piece at the previous year’s Dublin Dance Festival (where Tomas Ntamashimikiro partnered with Yusuf), it portrayed a meditative tranquility rather than fervent conviction. Yusuf hopes this calculated artistic decision will instigate audience involvement.
“It’s a test,” he admits. “A few choreographers are typecast as being overly abstract when they opt for minimalism. But my primary interest lies in how I can allow the audience to engage with a single action – or even an experience – for a significant duration.” The conversation takes a detour towards the calmness perceived in Andrew Scott’s rendition as Tom Ripley, in the recent Netflix series, and in Jim Jarmusch’s filmography.
“When I view a movie like Coffee and Cigarettes, it seems like the director has accounted for my perspective: I’ve been given the opportunity to invest time with him and the characters. Most films emphasise the narrative, the progression, and development of the plot. And occasionally it feels comforting to sense that the director has established a space for me to connect with this character and empathise with their experiences.”
Passive audience participation probably doesn’t facilitate the process. A gallery visitor’s experience is entirely distinct: they actively decide the duration and depth of their engagement with each artwork. Such difference came to the fore when Yusuf contributed as the movement director and co-creator of Eimear Walshe’s Romantic Ireland, for the Venice Biennale this year.
He finds her presence inspiring, a sheer delight to collaborate with. Often joint artistic ventures demand something specific, but in this case, the experience was a delightful joint initiative with absolutely no stress. He discovered freedom in designing movements that didn’t need to be the primary focus. As a choreographer, one typically sticks to certain guidelines, like how to instruct movement or how to utilise three-dimensional space. On the contrary, he was able to craft individual dance movements that enhanced the developing artistry, with help from other creative contributors.
Back in the dance workshop, as they perfected the final details of ‘Impasse,’ he constantly relished how Katangila, his co-performer, amplified his dance sequences.
Fixed notions, in his view, are ineffective. He had devised some portions of the choreography for Lucas, and although Lucas’s execution deviated from his original concept, it was never incorrect, merely different. He has learnt to embrace these variations, which frequently lead to outcomes far surpassing his original anticipation.
‘Impasse’ will be showcased at the Project Arts Centre on the 24th and 25th of May as part of the Dublin Dance Festival.