Boulevard Humaine takes as its starting point the piece Okho by Yannis Xenakis, a commissioned piece intended to celebrate 200 years since the French Revolution and written for a distinctively African instrumentation. Created for three female performers, it is a creative exploration of interculturalism and response to Xenakis’ themes and rhythms through dance, alongside notions of belonging and the core question of how we can be different together.
Echoing the political tones of the music, the title Boulevard Humaine alludes to the ways humanity and various notions of its constitution are endorsed within specific boundaries. One only needs to remember that initially a boulevard was a promenade taking the place of a demolished fortification, now planted with rows of trees, ‘…full with marks of the many names and the many stories hidden within them…’
