Marvels of Mozambique> National Song and Dance Company comes to the Grand

A 90-minute program of traditional and modern dances, as well as African music, will bring to Maine the culture of Mozambique — a country far from ours in both distance and language.

During its first visit to the state, the 30-member National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique will bring its intricately choreographed and elaborate and music-filled storytelling to The Grand Auditorium in Ellsworth at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 8, one day after performing an 8 p.m. show at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium.

“Mozambique is well-known for its wars and poverty, but people overlook our treasures in art and culture,” noted company director David Abilio. “We are not a folkloric ensemble, but we are an ensemble that uses its traditions to show what is deep for our people.”

The National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique formed in 1979, only four years after the country gained its independence from Portugal. Originally composed of nonprofessional dancers, musicians and actors from high schools, private and state organizations, the company performed on a local level in the country’s capital of Maputo.

The company went professional in 1983, and as a result, members were chosen from among the best performers in the nation’s 10 provinces. The dancers traveled to different regions of Mozambique to learn their dances as a means of representing the whole country.

Through their preservation and exhibition of Mozambique’s major art forms, the dancers established a nationwide reputation over the next decade and were able to communicate an unforgotten culture, once suppressed by the Portuguese regime for more than 500 years.

The company’s performances eventually spread to 10 other countries in Africa, and parts of Western Europe. In 1995, Alicia Adams, director of special programming at New York’s Kennedy Center, discussed with Abilio the possibility of the company coming to America. In 1998, the African dancers made their stateside debut at the Kennedy Center.

On its current tour, the company will perform throughout New England, as well as in Ohio, California, Washington and Oregon.

In the performance “In Mozambique the Sun Has Risen Up,” Abilio combined the most representative songs and dances of his country to celebrate its national independance day. Central to the performance is “N’tsay,” a story about a family that helps retell the history of Mozambique and its people.

“The `N’tsay’ is the telling of our struggle for liberation and the unity of our people,” Abilio explained. “It comes from our independence and shows our story to preserve what is good for us. It is one step in the story of Africa.”

The story begins in a time of great prosperity, when N’tsay, the “Queen Mother,” has seen a bountiful harvest come to her land. This prosperity is overshadowed by the arrival of a monster, Nhangume, that plans to conquer and take control of her family: her people. It is only through the reintroduction of the people’s traditions that they are able to push the monster back into the earth and experience a renewed life.

Although the story bears an obvious resemblance to the history of Mozambique, Abilio is quick to point out that the production is not rooted in political standpoint.

“We don’t want to involve politics into this show,” Abilio said. “We want to use dance to bring people together. That is the nature of this art form in the universal language.”

The 90-minute performance will display some of Mozambique’s more traditional dances, such as the “Xigubo,” to celebrate military victories; the “Semba,” a dance of young people in love; and the “Makwaya,” a dance of joy performed at wedding ceremonies. In addition, the company will show some of the more modern dances of their country, such as the “Nondje,” which emerged during the country’s war for independence.

Amongst these exotic body movements, one should not overlook the intense choral accompaniment and instrumental arrangements, which include bellowing drums and flutes. Besides the 20 dancers performing in the show, five musicians will provide a musical atmosphere. Modern African ballet and poetical recitation will round out the performance.

As part of a goal more important than displaying their culture, the members of the National Song and Dance Company of Mozambique will perform in Ellsworth and Portland to help benefit flood victims in their native country.

In the past month, intense flooding has caused many of the country’s lowland inhabitants to seek shelter in hospitals and schools. Most of the company’s members have been directly affected by this natural disaster.

“We hope our performance will also be a message to show the tragedy of the flooding,” Abilio said. “Even today, as I call home, the flooding is still very terrible.”

In another effort to raise money for flood relief, members of the company will take part in drum and dance workshops at 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 9, at The Grand Auditorium.

The dancers will also give two shows at The Grand Auditorium on Monday, April 10. These shows will be open to schools that want to attend as a field trip.

Tickets for the show April 8 at The Grand Auditorium in Ellsworth are $16 for adults, $10 for children under 17, and may be obtained by calling 667-9500 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. Tickets for the April 7 show at Merrill Auditorium are available by calling PortTix at 842-0800.