Through dance, the Real Boys group addresses drug use and violence. The crew was founded in 2014 and is based in Abidjan.
One member of the dance group lies motionless on the floor, legs splayed, on a dimly lit stage in Abidjan, while seven others dance around him in an intense hip-hop routine meant to alert about the dangers of drug use and gang violence in Ivory Coast.
The “Real Boys,” an Abidjan-based male dance group, formed in 2014 but had to wait until this month for a breakthrough when they performed their show “Ghetto” at the Abidjan Market for Performing Arts (MASA), one of Africa’s oldest and largest artistic showcase events.
Now, the group hopes to take its unique blend of hip-hop, comedy, and social commentary around the world. MASA has already received two international performance offers and hopes to sign a contract soon, according to founder Alexandre Wilfried Awa.
“We never expected to see the Real Boys at MASA. It must be said that it is by the grace of God,” said Awa, also known as “Speed Ivoire.” “..
MASA, which was founded in 1993, is a platform for African artists to gain exposure, which frequently leads to international contracts.
The Real Boys began modestly. Their initial goal was to win local dance competitions by performing short choreographed routines.
Their vision grew larger over time, and they began working on longer pieces that could appeal to an international audience.
The group consists of ten men ranging in age from 18 to 32.
“Our trademark is comedy. We try to incorporate comedy into the dance movements. We do hip-hop because the ‘coupe decale’ (a type of music and dance) is done everywhere in the Ivory Coast, so we use comedy and hip-hop to differentiate ourselves from all of these groups “Awa stated.
But the dances also have serious themes, and one of them uses knives to highlight the dangers that young people face, he says. The idea for their show “Ghetto” came from observing people on the streets of Abidjan’s neighbourhoods and suburbs.
“They transmit a very good message in this show because, at the moment in Africa, young people are very focused on alcohol and cigarettes and this is what is called basically the ghetto,” Jean-Marc Kouassi, a member of the audience at Real Boys’ show at MASA, said. “By condemning this behaviour, I believe we are sending a very strong message to Africa.”
Image Courtesy – Majalla
The authored article is written by Darshana Joshi and shared with Prittle Prattle News exclusively.
