A Hey A Ma Ma Ma marks another dynamic collaboration between Ugandan artist Robert Ssempijja and Company Christoph Winkler, a partnership rooted in a long tradition of innovative co-creation. This project began with an in-depth research phase in Uganda, in collaboration with the Uganda national Theatre Institute, before moving to Company Christoph Winkler’s studios in Berlin for technical development and final production. Performed by Robert Ssempijja and Kaddu Michael Gagawala, the piece premiered at the Ballhaus Ost Fan Fic Festival in Berlin, captivating audiences with its bold exploration of cultural identity and movement.

Festival „Fan Fiction“ am Ballhaus Ost, Berlin. Donnerstag 14. – Sonnntag 17. Maerz 2019. No model release. FAN FIC 2 Meat: Anne Brammen, Kathrin Dworatzek, Frieder Hepting, Alexander Merbeth, IMke Paulick, Rabea Schubert, Maria Lilith Umbach und Lea Kissing. FAN FIC 3: Ah Hey A MA MA MA! Michael Gagawala Kaddu und Robert Ssempijja, Regie Christoph Winkler. FAN FIC 4: Ein Tag im Jahr von Nele Stuhler: Hannah Mueller, Nele Stuhler, Sonja Risse. Regie: Laura Eggert. u.a..
“Engl:” theatre, actor, performance, off, free szene
copyright: david baltzer / bildbuehne.deIn Uganda, techniques of retelling and overwriting are deeply embedded in everyday culture, from the vibrant films of Wakaliwood to the genre defying sounds of Nyege Nyege Tapes, where global musical forms are blended and reimagined. Contemporary Ugandan choreography often draws inspiration from online trailer videos of international dance companies, as these digital fragments are sometimes the only window into the global dance scene for Ugandan artists. A Hey A Ma Ma Ma builds on this tradition of creative adaptation, using dance to rewrite and reframe narratives in a postcolonial context.

The piece interrogates the influence of postcolonial dynamics on cultural expressions in both Western and African contexts, questioning the binary labels of “traditional” and “contemporary” dance in Uganda and across the continent. Ssempijja and Kaddu challenge the stereotypical images often perpetuated in Western media about how Black African bodies move and behave, deconstructing these reductive portrayals to expose the underlying power structures. Through their performance, they engage with footage that exemplifies these stereotypes, reimagining the movements in a stylistic language free from exoticism. In doing so, they create a form of “fan fiction” through dance an alternative narrative that asserts agency and celebrates a more authentic, self-defined aesthetic.

Performed with raw energy and precision, A Hey A Ma Ma Ma is both a critique and a celebration. It invites audiences to reconsider the ways cultural narratives are constructed and consumed, while offering a vision of dance that transcends imposed boundaries. Through this collaboration, Ssempijja and Winkler continue to push the boundaries of contemporary dance, amplifying Ugandan voices on the global stage and fostering a dialogue about identity, representation, and the power of movement to rewrite history.