Kiandanda Dance Theater Presents Religion Kitendi - Dress Code

Who could have imagined that a group of people can find hope and strength in life through the clothes they wear? The Religion Kitendi - Dress Code project dives into the portrayals of the Congolese sapeurs, a group of dandy men and women who strive to survive the hardship of social and political challenges through feeling good in their attire. The project touches on the theatrical humor and the sorrowful trend of people who spend enormous sums of hard-earned money to find joy and hope in the kitendi (clothes) like a religion. Revisiting the history of slavery and colonization, the project looks at how the European fashion styles have impacted the African descent people globally. Kiandanda Dance Theater is a 2021 NDP Finalist Grant Award recipient. Support was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to address continued sustainability needs during COVID-19 and in support of Religion Kitendi - Dress Code. This project is made possible through the support of the Center for Cultural Innovation.