Melaku Belay offers a 90 minute interactive workshop on Ethiopian dance combining an artist talk, a short film, a 45 minute movement session, and Q & A. He introduces participants to dance styles from the diverse cultures in Ethiopia such as Tigray, Wollo, Gondar, Gurage, Wolaita, and Oromo. In addition to teaching these dances in a hands-on manner, Melaku explains the dances’ geographical, historical, and socio-cultural contexts, their meanings in these contexts, and their development in contemporary Ethiopia. Melaku demonstrates his unique approach to Ethiopian dance performance, born out of his extraordinary life journey and his free interpretation of traditional forms.
Melaku’s life story and dance works, connected with ancient cultural traditions as well as recent development of Ethiopia, provide a window into the contemporary reality of this often misunderstood East African nation. An artist and leader with a great sense of civic responsibility, Melaku established Fendika Cultural Center in 2016, creating an oasis for artists of multiple disciplines (music, dance, visual art) in fast-changing Addis Ababa.
About the Artists
Melaku Belay is the director of Fendika Cultural Center, which shares Ethiopian cultures globally, provides opportunities to artists, and facilitates people-to-people exchange through art and culture. Find out more here fendika.org.
In doing this work, Melaku’s vision is to build economic and civic infrastructures for artists to enjoy dignity, financial sustainability and artistic freedom, and to foster peace and healing.
He is president of Ethiopian Dance Art Association, world-renowned Ethiopian dancer, and leader of Ethiocolor and Fendika bands. Melaku is committed to the development of Ethiopian performance culture and heritage. Under Melaku’s leadership since 2008, Fendika is the first music venue in Addis Ababa that pays a regular salary to traditional musicians and dancers. Fendika is home to artists of many disciplines and cultural backgrounds, offering programs in music, dance, visual art, poetry, and children’s art.
With Melaku at the helm, the bands Ethiocolor and Fendika have toured the U.S., many countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In 2024, Ethiocolor performed in the U.S. as part of the prestigious Center Stage program funded by the U.S. State Department.
Melaku was a 2015 recipient of Chevalier des arts et des Lettres (France), 2018 finalist for Ethiopian Person of the Year Award, 2019 tribute from Visa for Music (Morocco), 2020 Prince Claus Laureate (the Netherlands), a 2022 TED Fellow (Canada), and a 2023 Center Stage touring grant (US). In 2024, Melaku received the Inaugural Schuman Human Rights Award from the European Union for his work in promoting peace and unity through supporting the arts in Ethiopia.
- Venue: Rhodes Movement Room
- Location: Rhodes Theatre Complex
- Ticket price: ZAR 30.00
- Programme type: Curated Programme
- Genre: Dance & Physical Theatre
- Duration: 90 minutes
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Ages:
16+
