ballet

In a converted warehouse in Dakar, dancers rehearse to the sharp rhythms of sabar drums. The choreography is tight, the costumes freshly stitched. But these are not the dances they grew up with in neighborhood gatherings or family celebrations. The steps have been trimmed, synchronized, and sequenced to fit a twenty-minute performance slot at a European arts festival.

Outside, a tour bus idles, waiting to take the troupe to the airport. In their luggage: not just fabric and drumsticks, but a version of culture tailored for export.