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Get ready to sweat and have some fun while learning Sega Dance from Mauritius with drumming accompaniment by Small Island Big Song artists. Dance is a form of storytelling that preserves cultural memory and history. Sega is both the national dance of Mauritius and a profound artistic embodiment of the historical and cultural memory of colonial slavery. It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the capacity to create and express beauty and joy out of nothing. Led by Mathieu Joseph, one of Mauritius' best choreographers of the young generation.

Choreographer & Performer | Mathieu Joseph — Creole heritage, Mauritius
Mathieu has been a professional dancer and choreographer since the age of 14 when he was discovered breakdancing on the suburban streets of Port Louis, Mauritius by renowned choreographer Stephen Bongarçon. Quickly embedding himself in Bongarçon’s SRDance, his dedication earned him the gold medal for dance at "Les Jeux de la Francophonie'' in 2009. Leading to a succession of shows and companies, including choreographing "Di Sel”, a tribute to the salt workers of Mauritius which won the "Les Jeux de la Francophonie" in France in 2017. 

Songwriter & Performer | Emlyn — Creole heritage, Mauritius
Featured on CNN, Emlyn is leading a wave of performers across the Indian Ocean proudly reclaiming their unique rhythms and cultural mix. Written with a reactive pen and sung in Mauritian Creole, her songs express her concerns for her island’s environment. Emlyn brings the infectious grooves of Sega with the sounds of her traditional frame drum, Ravann, which originated from the rhythms of African/Madagascan people during the slave trade.