Environmental Commitment at the Opera Village

As part of the cooperation with the Centre de Développement Chorégraphique La Termitière (CDC), the participants of the contemporary dance courses at the Opera Village launched a special initiative: together they set out to clear the Opera Village grounds of carelessly discarded trash. The route began at our CSPS and led to the entrance of the Opera Village. Along the way, the young people collected litter from the natural surroundings, sending a powerful message of environmental awareness and community spirit.

This “cleanup action” was part of a series of workshops that has been running since October of last year as part of our Artist-in-Residence program. In the 2024 Artist-in-Residence program, guest choreographers work closely with local dancers to offer free workshops for the community, with a special focus on internally displaced persons. Many young refugees who have fled conflict find here a safe space to express their traumatic experiences through dance and to draw new strength from movement. Thus, dance not only promotes healing and self-awareness but also reinforces community bonds and generates long-term impulses for social change. The participants explored dance traditions from various cultures, blending historic forms with contemporary expression. The resulting choreographies not only showcased creative diversity but also reflected social issues. “Dance is a universal means of communication,” says Tamar Ouédraogo—and this was tangibly felt throughout the workshop: the artistic work became a vehicle for intercultural dialogue and social cohesion. Even initiatives like the joint litter-picking action bring this vision to life: when artistic expression and civic engagement unite, the circle is complete—Art as social discourse becomes a living reality at the Opera Village.

In 2024, the Artist-in-Residence programme is funded by