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By Ben Tomoloju
Favour Haruna’s contribution to Nigerian theatre cannot be overstated. Last night at the National Theatre, she unveiled her new dance-theatre piece, Rhythms of Heritage, and for just over an hour, the audience was drawn into a vivid, living portal of tradition.
Some may find Rhythms of Heritage a touch slow in places, but for those who enjoy dance-theatre unbound by drama for drama’s sake, it is a rare gift. Haruna allows her work space to breathe, letting movement, fabric, and silence speak as loudly as any drumbeat.
This cast piece, from an artist best known for her dynamic stage energy, unfolds like a shared act of cultural memory. A dancer sways with a white cloth; another circles a calabash; a group moves in unison as if guided by a story only they can hear. With Haruna’s gentle cues and moments of playful interaction between performers, the stage transforms into a living picture, part ancestral gathering, part ceremonial offering, each detail slowly revealing itself to those willing to look closely.
Haruna’s magnetic presence and deep passion for her craft carry the performance with warmth and authenticity. Yet, there are moments when sequences linger too long, and the pacing could benefit from a sharper lift. Some choreographic pattern return to the same emotional note, though it remains an inspired and heartfelt one.
If Rhythms of Heritage is not the ultimate pinnacle of Edo cultural dance, it is nonetheless a richly crafted and memorable evening, one that will linger in the minds of its audience long after the final bow.
