"An Impossible Form": The Absence That Keeps on Giving.

This article delves into the concept of formlessness in black aesthetic practices, specifically in African contemporary/experimental dance. It asserts that the formlessness of blackness is not merely a visual or performance element, but rather a result of structural violence. The article analyzes the work of choreographers Germaine Acogny and Faustin Linyekula, who utilize dance to examine colonial violence and challenge Western ideas of form. It also explores the relationship between choreography and colonialism, as well as how black choreographers disrupt and dismantle traditional forms and techniques. The article concludes by critiquing Western narratives of artistic innovation and the exclusion of African contributions to the avant-garde. [Extracted from the article]