Workshop for (semi-)professional dancers with Lukah Katangila - Dance, body and embodied knowledge

During this workshop, dancer and choreographer Lukah Katangila invites participants to inhabit the body differently through a sensitive and in-depth exploration of undulation and balance as fundamental principles of movement. At the intersection of dance, somatic research and poetic reflection, the body is approached as a living territory - shaped by rhythms, histories and presence - where dialogue with gravity, space and attention allows meaningful movement to emerge. The workshop creates a space where dance, research and transmission intersect, making the body a place of creation, memory and transformation.

Undulation: The Body in Flow
Undulation is explored as a continuous, fluid and organic movement that travels through the spine, pelvis, rib cage and limbs. It encourages a flow of movement that invites participants to release rigidity in favour of a subtle awareness of internal impulses. Through guided exercises, participants develop spinal mobility, breath coordination, and awareness of the body’s centre. Undulation becomes a tool for transformation: it opens the body, releases tension and allows movement to emerge that is grounded, sensitive and expressive. On a symbolic and poetic level, undulation evokes natural cycles, invisible forces and the continuity of life. It fosters a non-linear relationship with time, where gestures unfold across duration, repetition, and variation.

Balance: Grounding, Suspension, and Presence
Balance is approached as a dynamic state, constantly negotiating with gravity. The goal is not fixed stability, but exploring the transitions between grounding, imbalance and adjustment. Through slow and precise practices, participants develop awareness of weight, support and space. Working with balance strengthens presence, concentration and bodily confidence, while highlighting the relationship between the body and its environment. Balance is also considered metaphorically: as a body capable of adapting, resisting without rigidity and transforming without losing itself. In collective exercises, individual balance resonates with that of the group, emphasizing the relational and communal dimensions of movement.

Methodology and Structure
The workshop combines guided bodily practices, structured improvisation and periods of observation and verbal reflection. The alternation between action and reflection allows participants to integrate physical sensations while developing a critical awareness of their practice.

Special attention is given to:
- Breath as the engine of movement
- The relationship between floor, axis, and space
- Listening to one’s own body and to others
- Transforming technical gestures into expressive gestures

Together the participants will work towards an informal sharing of the explored practices, open to friends and colleagues. The form of the showing will be developed throughout the week by the group.

Biography Lukah Katangila
Lukah Katangila is a dancer, choreographer and performer of Congolese origin, based in Brussels. His artistic work lies at the intersection of contemporary dance and hybrid choreographic practices, blending hip-hop with traditional African dances. His approach is grounded in an in-depth exploration of the body as a space for memory, transmission and intercultural dialogue, with particular attention to social, educational and civic issues.

Trained from a young age in his family troupe, Mboka Dance, Lukah has developed an artistic practice where creative work and social engagement are closely intertwined. In 2002, following the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, he co-founded the Ndoto Goma Kids project (“The Dream of Goma’s Children”), a socio-artistic initiative for street children, orphans, and former child soldiers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. This project uses dance as a tool for empowerment, resilience and awareness, addressing themes such as access to education, gender equality and child protection.

Having settled in Belgium for several years, Lukah holds a degree in arts and choreography from ISAC (Institut Supérieur des Arts et des Chorégraphies) at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels. His professional career spans national and international stages through theatrical productions, artistic research projects, residencies, as well as cultural mediation and training initiatives. In Belgium and abroad, he collaborates with renowned artists, companies and institutions, including Ayelen Parolin / RUDA, Eric Minh Cuong Castaing and Wesley Ruzibiza, as well as with festivals and cultural platforms across Europe, Africa and the United States.

In 2020, Lukah Katangila received the Roel Verniers Prize at Het Theaterfestival for his solo Ndoto, recognizing his innovative and socially engaged artistic approach. In 2021, he was awarded the Prix Vocatio, a Belgian distinction supporting young artists whose work has significant societal impact. Since 2022, he has been an associate artist with Ultima Vez, a partnership that supports his artistic research and strengthens his long-term presence in the Belgian choreographic landscape.

His own creations include the solos Ndoto (2020), La veste du président (2022) and the quartet Imprisoned Gods (2024). Alongside his creative work, Lukah develops extensive transmission projects through workshops, research laboratories, and educational programs in Belgium and abroad. These initiatives, aimed at diverse audiences (professional artists, young people, amateurs, and local communities), contribute to cultural mediation, civic participation, and intercultural dialogue, in line with Belgian cultural policies. Throughout his career, Lukah Katangila has established an artistic practice rooted in Belgium yet open to the international stage, where choreographic creation becomes a tool for connection, critical reflection and the construction of shared experiences.