Morocco | 2024 | Dance, Video

Transmigrations

In Tangier, Morocco, where their migratory journey came to an end, the participants speak and dance. Guided by the artists Youssef El Idrissi, storyteller-filmmaker, and Lisa Dali, choreographer, each person expresses their own relationship with the sea.

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Transmigrations

The movement of bodies, water, and boats

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After recalling the stories they grew up with, after laying down the narrative of their personal history with the sea—and with water more broadly—everyone decided to invent a new myth, which Youssef El Idrissi will interpret in his own way…

This participatory artistic project in Tangier explores, through dance and video, the connections between the ocean, migration, and environmental challenges—by directly involving people in situations of migration from sub-Saharan Africa and socially engaged artists.

Artist
Youssef El Idrissi (project lead), Lisa Dali (dance and performance)

Partners
Zanka90, Darna

Participants
Around ten migrants

Agency
AFD Morocco

A context of drought and migration

workshops combining storytelling and performance

50.000

estimated number of sub-Saharan migrants living in Morocco

partner cultural venues for the project’s dissemination in Morocco

Like many West African countries, Morocco is facing major climate disruptions, including a persistent drought that threatens access to water, agriculture, and social stability. Tangier, a port city and a crossroads of migration between Africa and Europe, is emblematic of these dynamics, where environmental issues, human mobility, and stories of movement intersect.

An artistic project to question interdependencies

The “Transmigrations” project uses dance, video, and storytelling to explore the ties between the sea and migration. Through a series of workshops, migrants share their stories and their imaginings connected to the ocean. These exchanges feed into a filmed performance and a video piece combining poetry and computer-generated imagery. Led by artists Youssef El Idrissi and Lisa Dali, in collaboration with the association Zanka90, the project offers a sensitive and collective reflection on how the environment, water-management policies, and migratory paths intertwine.

The final work is presented in various art spaces and festivals in Morocco, extending the conversation and amplifying the reach of the project.