Many people have lamented that NYC is dead, its vibrant pulse all but a memory due to the pandemic and the onslaught of gentrification. Babacar Top, a master dancer from Senegal currently living in the Empire City, believes otherwise.

The artist began practicing Sabar at a young age at traditional ceremonies before going on to study the Acogny Technique with fellow Senegalese dancer Germain Acogny. Through nurturing his passion for contemporary African dances and the stories they carry, he has been able to explore the social and political implications of his Black African body. After performing throughout Senegal, Europe and the US with different dance groups, Top formed his own company, Topdance, which has seen him work with Connecticut College, NYU, Cumbe Dance Center, and Alvin Ailey. His most recent collaborative performance was lauded in the New York Times. However, perhaps his most important work is the Sabar class he has led every weekend over this past year in a Harlem park for a group of devotees who show up to experience the sense of community and liberation found through this special form of movement and rhythm.

For this story, Top dances through the streets of NYC to show us all that the city’s spirit is still alive with positivity as long as you put forth the energy to channel it.

What inspires you most when you are dancing?

My dance is connected through tradition and modernity. I see it as a kind of architecture in how I form my posture and positions. It is something that impacts people’s lives and tells the story of what is happening in the world.

How does being Senegalese influence your creativity?

Senegalese culture is Sabar. However all Sabar is not Senegalese. For example, my mom is Waalo from Mali where there is a dance by the same name. My Dad is Pular, a minority group in Senegal. The traditions of both my parents, along with many other groups of Senegambia, have contributed to what is now Sabar. This joining of cultures helps me to connect with my ancestors and history while at the same time sharing and opening up a part of Senegal with outsiders. I am sharing stories that we were unable to speak of for so many years during colonisation.

How has living in NYC become a part of your practice?

NYC is now a part of my DNA and I find that people are not so connected here. There is more acting than authentic connection. As a creator, relationships and interaction with people are both very important to my process. I have found that if I am quiet, patient and listen then I am able to connect but perhaps this is through food or language or observation. It is important to keep pushing and try to enter some place outside of your comfort zone. It is about transcending boundaries, which is very much what NYC represents to me.

How does fashion figure into your life and performing?

The clothing that one chooses is like a performance. I once did a production where each dancer was told they are a colour and to express it through movement. How do you map this colour to your body and who you are? These colours had energies and tensions and it was important not to let them take over. Clothing is an expression of who you are but you must not let it be your entire identity. Fashion, as dance, is a balance of energies.

Photography Yuqi Wang
Styling Shandi Alexander
Talent Babacar Top
Grooming Tomoyo

Fashion

Angel Chen
Bode
Christian Louboutin
Erickson Beamon
Marrakshi Life
Mola Walker
Nike
Teddy Vonranson
Twisted Tailor
Versace

Published on 14/06/2021