Boloye Performers | JuzaPhoto

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21.2 MEGAPIXEL

Ivory Coast View gallery (20 photos)

Boloye Performers sent on 26 Gennaio 2026 (17:31) by Roberto Pazzi. 0 comments, 168 views.

at 35mm, 1/320 f/5.6, ISO 500, hand held.

Senoufo tribesmen and performers for the Boloye, a ritual dance also known as the Panther dance because the performers wear cloth overalls decorated with spotted patterns that evoke the panther's coat (Ivory Coast). HUMANKIND, my premium, limited-edition, museum-quality standard book featuring over 200 large-format photos. Available here: https://robertopazziphoto.com Traditionally, the Boloye was performed during funerals, male initiation rites, and major communal ceremonies, and it remains a powerful symbol of Senoufo cultural identity even when presented today at festivals and public events. Only initiated men are permitted to perform the Boloye. Through the dance, performers honor their ancestors and reinforce the connection between the human community and the spiritual world. The panther symbolizes strength, discipline, protection, and wisdom, qualities that the dancers are expected to embody. The choreography is highly athletic and expressive, with dancers imitating the movements of a panther through leaps, rapid turns, crouching steps, and moments of controlled stillness. The dance is accompanied by a complex musical ensemble: the rhythm is marked by drums and stringed instruments made with large calabashes used as resonating bodies, as well as rattles made from gourds covered with shells or seeds. Vocal exclamations by one or more participants punctuate the performance, guiding both the rhythm and the dancers' movements and intensifying the dramatic and ritual atmosphere. Website: https://robertopazziphoto.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/roberto_pazzi_photo

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