The Artistic Director of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Kaltume Bulama Gana, explained why the body is innovatively presenting the country’s dances in virtual reality and digital games at the initiative’s launch.
ONE of the high points of the outgone year for the nation’s foremost performance body, the National Troupe of Nigeria, was launching the ‘Reimagining the National Troupe of Nigeria through Innovation’ initiative.
It had announced the initiative, which seeks to present culture and dances in virtual reality and digital games, weeks earlier. Saturday, December 21, witnessed its formal launch at Queen Amina Garden, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
In partnership with Sola Adekanye’s Open Innovative Access, the project involves deploying state-of-the-art technology to boost the Troupe’s operations. It consists of elevating Nigeria’s cultural dances and melding them with technology to develop variants of virtual reality the Troupe would document for posterity.
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hanatu Musa Musawa, represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Art and Culture and the Creative Economy, Ms Mariam Ajaga, led guests to the occasion.
Others in attendance were the Chief Executive of the National Film and Video Censors Board, Dr Shaibu Husseini; actress Joke Sylva; Isaac and Nneka Moses of Goge Africa.
Musawa said the project would bring innovation into Nigeria’s repertoire of dances while attracting global audiences to the Troupe and Nigeria. “This is in line with keeping dance alive. It is indeed a great endeavour,” she noted.
The Artistic Director of the NTN, Kaltume Bulama Gana, explained the reason for the initiative. She said that through the innovative partnership, the Troupe aimed to immerse their “audiences by seamlessly blending traditional dance forms with state-of-the-art technology while creating breath-taking performances that transport viewers to a realm of wonder and imagination.”
Gana also said the initiative was a testament to the ministry’s forward-thinking vision. “We will bridge the gap between the past and the present, inspiring young people to embrace their cultural roots and carry forward the legacy of our ancestors. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to embracing innovation and leveraging technology to enhance the way we engage with the world,” she said
Actress Joke Silva hailed the initiative while also recalling how she met her husband, Olu Jacobs, at the National Theatre under the auspices of the National Troupe.
“No doubt this programme will help to project our numerous dances far into the world,” Silva said, adding that it would also help to discourage youth from focusing more on Western cultures because Nigerian folklore can now be conveyed through the new technology.
Husseini, the CEO of the National Films and Videos Censors Board, who is also a dancer and a former staffer of the Troupe, said that the idea of reimagining is apt and prompt. “This is a beautiful collaboration that is tech-driven. This is the first time this programme is being introduced in the Troupe. It will serve as an avenue to properly market, distribute and create more awareness about the activities of the National Troupe of Nigeria. With tech now, you may not need to travel but hook up on the screen to view what the Troupe offers”.
Adekanye of Open Innovation Access said: “We were inspired by African cultural and traditional elements and the need to preserve them in modern technological form to embark on this collaboration. We know that culture is life. It is people’s way of existence, habit and all. Therefore, today, what we have is history in the making. It will be an enduring experience for Nigerians at home and abroad.”
Beyond boosting the Troupe’s visibility, the project would connect the NTN to a broader audience outside those present in live performances and traditional media like television and videos.
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