Aare

I recently directed and produce a contemporary dance film titled Aare. As Nigerians, dance is a core of the Yoruba traditions, and we are exposed to and assimilate our cultural practices at a tender age. This film was made as a reconnection to my childhood. To serve as archival preservation of Yoruba cultural heritage and to shine lights on the transcendental nature of Yoruba culture in the world, the most dominant culture of the African slaves that were captured in Africa and crossed the Atlantic during the Atlantic slave trade. The film gives voice and room to Blackness. The subject ‘Ààrẹ,’ a mighty Black man, confronts his inner challenges, succumbing to the weights of his mighty life. However, he eventually overcomes this burden, graduating to an acknowledgment of self and his grace, and uses life to enjoy the space.