It is the meeting of José Bertogal and Mike Larifla (Soulshine association) which gives birth to the company MOUNKA. The common denominator for all of José Bertogal’s companies has been the word soul, MACADAM, CHOREAM and now MOUNKA.
During their residency, the artists developed their show “Biosphere”, which was presented in the Caribbean as well as during the Tout-Monde Festival here in Miami, but is still in progress. This three act-saga composed of « The Alpha », « Sapiens » and « The Omega », unites four hip hop, break-dance, and contemporary dance performers who interpret the formation of the Earth and the evolution of life, with a music reproducing the sounds of volcanoes, rivers and the passing of time, created by José Bertogal.
Coming from the HIP HOP scene in the 80s in Paris, José Bertogal after having toured the world * with his company Choream , returns to Guadeloupe. Pioneers of hip hop dance, he has worked with several important companies in this field, as a choreographer. In addition to dancing, he has always had a foot in music, first as a DJ (turntables) then as Beat Maker (rhythm machine, sampler).
His influences are very heterogeneous, passing through soul, jazz, classical and reggae but also the French musical culture of the 50s / 70s (Edith Piaf, Jacques Bref, Georges Brassens) and film music (Eric Serra, Jean -Jacques Annaud, Armand Amar). He composed among others the soundtracks of the Choream Company, Atypique and Claire Moineau.
It is the meeting of José Bertogal and Mike Larifla (Soulshine association) which gives birth to the company MOUNKA. The common denominator for all of José Bertogal’s companies has been the word soul, MACADAM, CHOREAM and now MOUNKA. The KA for the ancient Egyptians represented the soul. In Guadeloupe, it means the drum. MOUN in Creole means the people, and by extension, the people.
The objective of the MOUNKA Company is to professionalize the dancers through creations and tours by inscribing the project in the long term and for that, one of the means chosen is to design several formats in order to diversify the places of diffusion.
To request materials in accessible format and accommodation to attend an event, please contact Eventz Paul at 305.576.4350 or email us, at least five days in advance to initiate your request.
Made with ♥ in Miami by Fulano
We are accessible and assistive listening devices are available. To request materials in accessible format and accommodation to attend an event, please contact Eventz Paul at 305.576.4350 or email us, at least five days in advance to initiate your request.
Eventz Paul is currently the Technical Director and Productions Manager at Miami Light Project. He has been a part of this organization since 2011. He participated in Miami Light Project’s first class of the Technical Fellowship Program held at The Light Box. He joined this program hoping to improve his existing theater skills. He received training from experts in the industry that mentored and further his theater technical skills. Now, he has successfully used his professional knowledge and has had the opportunity to work with various arts organizations and venues throughout Miami including Miami Theater Center, National Young Arts Foundation, the Colony Theatre and many more. He has become an instructor and conducts audiovisual classes to incoming technical fellows.
Beth Boone has been the Artistic & Executive Director of Miami Light Project since 1998, developing critically acclaimed artistic programs that have asserted the organization as one of the leading cultural institutions in South Florida. These programs include: the establishment of Here & Now, South Florida’s most respected commission and presenting program for community-based artists; premiere presentations of internationally acclaimed; pioneering historic international cultural exchange with Cuba; and the creation of The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse, a multi-use performance and visual art space in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. She previously served as Associate Director of Development for Florida Grand Opera, Deputy Director for the Department of Cultural Affairs at Miami Dade Community College, Wolfson Campus, co-founded an Off Broadway theater company (New York Rep), and served for six years as a Program Associate in the Arts & Culture Program of the AT&T Foundation. She received a B.A. in Fine Arts from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, and a MFA in Theater Arts from Brandeis University in Boston, MA.
