ZAYO is a whisper remembering that we do not travel through this world alone; an ancestral presence guides us to have the courage to uncover who we are meant to be. ZAYO, is a memoir shaped by the lived experiences of visionary director and choreographer Esie Mensah, into an Afrofusion dance-theatre production about the courage needed to follow one’s calling and ancestral purpose. Conceived over eight years, the piece follows a young woman who is discovering her power as she exists between worlds and is tasked with confronting her fears to claim her power. Guided by her Ancestors, an embodied memory is awakened and a chosen destiny is embraced which reveals what it takes to step into one’s purpose and emerge transformed. 

This exciting Esie Mensah Creations’ production centers Afrofusion choreography brought to life by co-set and costume designers Rachel Forbes and Jawon Kang, Lighting Design Simon Rossiter, Composition and Live Percussion Yohance Francis Parsons I and Sound Design by Daniel Tessy. An exceptional company of dancers transform the stage into a living archive — of lineage, loss, resistance, and becoming. Mensah is committed to reimagining African storytelling for the contemporary stage, expanding how African narratives, bodies, and spiritual traditions are experienced today.