The Place presents OKAN by Maya & Toussaint

A new duet collaboratively created by Akeim Toussaint Buck and Ella Mesma, Ọkan is a new production with martial dances at its core. Blending the fluidity of Salsa with the precision of Wing Chun, Ọkan embodies a limitless, open-minded approach to life. Rooted in the Yoruba word meaning Oneness, Conscience, and Heart, the name was chosen to reflect the Yoruban roots of many of the dance styles used in the piece and their connection to Orixás, the gods of Yoruban traditions.

Transcending gender, human, and emotional barriers to become a catalyst for transformation, the performance is inspired by themes of identity, ancestry, and unity. Ọkan invites audiences to reflect on the complexities of being, while celebrating resilience and connection.

The choreographers’ Caribbean and Nigerian roots and their lived experiences of diasporic movement languages led them to explore a blend of Salsa and Wing Chun martial dances. This innovative project started with an interview with Thomas Talawa Presto, director of Tabanka Dance, who introduced the codified system of body movement called Talawa. Akeim and Ella have collaborated with Thomas to create a duet that incorporates Salsa, Wing Chun, and other diasporic dance styles. These Global Majority movement practices inspire the collaborative efforts of Akeim and Ella to investigate how ancestry, gender norms, and relationship dynamics come to life through movement.

The Producing Team at The Place says: “Having followed Akeim and Ella’s work as independent artists for a while, we were thrilled to host the first R&D of their new collaboration through our Choreodrome residency in 2022. Their bold artistic vision of blending ancestral movement practices to create a new choreographic language caught our attention. Social ance such as Salsa and martial arts like Wing Chung are built on codes that are often different from what we find in contemporary dance, particularly when it comes to the way practitioners relate to each other. Okan returns to some of the oldest movement practices and anchors them into today’s dance scene, to explore a utopian way to relate, where opposing forces create a new unity. One of the latest shows produced in-house by The Place, it aligns with our mission to support the UK’s most exciting independent artists, bringing unique dance experiences to audiences across the country.”

Ọkan will open at Pavillion Dance South West in Bournemouth on 4 APR before coming to The Place for its London premiere on 10 APR followed by a national tour including an appearance at Latitude Festival in July. Exploring different models of touring and connecting with audiences in various ways, some locations will present An Evening with Ọkan, a vibrant night of live music, dance, and conversation inspired by the new work, including a fun and accessible salsa-inspired dance class suitable for beginners, exploring the expressive movements used in the show. Audiences can mingle, move, and connect in an event designed to celebrate artistic expression and community, with digital exhibitions, short performance extracts, and Q&A sessions that open up dialogue about the inspiration behind the work.

Tour Dates 2025

An Evening with Okan - Yorkshire Dance, Leeds, 21 MAR

Okan - Pavilion Dance South West, Bournemouth, 4 APR

Okan - The Place, London, 10-11APR

Okan - Latitude Festival, Suffolk, 25-27 JUL

Okan - AMATA (Falmouth University), Falmouth, 11 OCT

More touring dates to be announced

About the Choreographers:

Ella Mesma, (she/her or they/them) is a Multidisciplinary Artist, Choreographer, Movement Specialist, Accredited Coach, Published Author, Teacher, and the Director of Ella Mesma Company. Trained in Afro-Latin, breaking, aerial silks and contemporary dance, Ella’s work is deeply inspired by Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian traditions, particularly the Orishas, Yoruba deities that Ella has studied for 20 years, and that guide much of Ella’s movement style. Ella has danced across continents, from the Olympics Opening Ceremony 2012 to the Joyce Theater in New York City, to Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba in Havana, Cuba; to Ella’s own commissions being featured at Sadler’s Wells and The Place.

Akeim Toussaint Buck is an interdisciplinary performer and maker, born in Jamaica and raised in England. After graduating from The Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2014, Akeim began creating his own work in 2016. His intention is to create moving, thought-provoking, accessible and free-spirited projects. Akeim's work has been supported by Yorkshire Dance, Leeds Playhouse, Leeds Inspired, Geraldine Connor Foundation, IRIE! Dance Theatre, Spin Arts, RJC, Deda, Fabric, Streatham Space Project, Serendipity, NSCD, Sadlers Wells and Arts Council England.

Cast and Credits

Okan is choreographed by Ella Mesma and Akeim Toussaint Buck and performed by dancers David Evans and Ofelia Balogun, with music by Azizi Cole and Joel Stedman, costume design by Audrey Mae and Anette Raudmets, set design by Stella- Jane Odoemelem, lights by Ciaran Cunningham and dramaturgical consultancy by Eva Martinez.

Okan is commissioned and co-produced by The Place and supported using public funding from Arts Council England. Supported by Pavilion Dance South West.