This poetic dance production, full of music and song, celebrates the legacy of iconic singer Miriam Makeba, cherished as Mama Africa. 

Shebeens were underground bars where Black South Africans could meet to sing, laugh, drink and talk politics under the country’s oppressive apartheid regime. Most shebeens were run by strong-minded women: the “shebeen queens”. 

Alesandra Seutin’s mother often sang Makeba’s song Nomeva to her, and told her stories about the singer. Banished from her homeland, Makeba’s activism and artistry always shone bright, inspiring this production’s rich stories of exile, immigration and humanity. 

Mimi’s Shebeen is infused with Seutin’s signature blend of dance and text. Here, she collaborates with major artists of African heritage: Lebo Mashile and Lisette Ma Neza (text), Angelo Moustapha and Zouratié Koné (music), and singer Tutu Puoane.