Based in Ireland and Belgium, dance artist and performer Mufutau Yusuf makes his California debut at the San Francisco International Arts Festival with the west coast premiere of an intensely personal piece titled “Impasse.” The festival engagement follows performances at the Irish Arts Center in New York.
The work is brought to life as a riveting and high-speed duet. Performing alongside Mufutau is dynamic dancer and choreographer Shafiki Sseggayi, whose own work is deeply rooted in Ugandan culture.
Thought-provoking and empowering, “Impasse” explores the navigation of Black bodies in a world of narratives structured to oppress them. In paradoxical beauty, it simultaneously portrays the reclaiming of identities, humanity, and autonomy with delicacy and grace. I had the fortunate opportunity of further learning about the creative process of “Impasse” with Mufutau, who is currently in Ireland preparing for his spring performances.
With the piece centered on exploration and reshaping of the self, Yusuf reflects on the transformative process he experiences when he performs “Impasse” in various cities around the world: “One thing that I seem to notice is that it does resonate differently in different spaces. I made this work based on the premise of growing up as a person of color in Ireland…this particular discourse about racial politics and the experience of the Black diaspora in Western spaces does change from space to space and the nuances differ. There’s still a lot to unpack. I really open myself up to that experience [in] not being a finite thing [as I’m] constantly subject to change and evolving in different ways.”
He then shares the expectations he has for the audience when watching “Impasse:” “I want the audience to reflect on their own perspective rather than me telling them how they should see it” and He adds that “Impasse was really about making the audience experience something that they can’t quite place but they know they’re feeling.” With the appreciation and understanding that viewers come from different walks of life, Mufutau does not expect nor want everyone to take the same thing away from the performance.
“You can leave the theater and maybe in two years’ time, you’re having coffee somewhere, and you’re like ‘Ah! That’s what it was.’”
Although still exploring himself and pursuing new experiences, Mufutau Yusuf has established himself as an impressive and distinctive performing artist who continuously seeks to broaden horizons and gain inspiration from all that is around him.
Lastly, the dancer also leaves a message for his younger self that can hopefully inspire other youths: “Stand behind your own voice. Each one of us as individuals, we have something to say…and I think as young dancers or artists, we always question that. I think that’s the beauty of art…we’re invited to see each unique person and experience what is your internal universe, and how did that translate into the objective world?”
An insightful and reflective performance, “Impasse” encourages audience members to take a closer look at ourselves, leaving a resounding mark in contemplating what our identity is.
Mufutau premiered his first full evening work titled “Òwe” in New York in 2022. He is a graduate of Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance and currently dances with Wim Vandekeybus/Ultima Vez in Belgium and in Ireland with Liz Roche Company and John Scott’s Irish Modern Dance Theatre. As a performer Mufutau has worked with Emma Martin/United Fall, Catherine Young Dance, Pan Pan Theatre, Anton Lackhy, Ricardo Ambrozio, Ian Kaler, to name a few. He is a recipient of the Irish Arts Council Dance Bursary award 2020 and Project Award 2022 and 2023.
“Impasse” will be performed at the 2026 San Francisco International Arts Festival April 30 and May 2. For tickets and venue information, click here.
__________________________________
TheatreStorm is a proud contributing supporter of the 2026 San Francisco International Arts Festival, which celebrates the arts by bringing together a global community of artists and audiences and by presenting innovative projects that focus on increasing human awareness and understanding within and across cultures.
For a full schedule of the 2026 San Francisco Arts Festival, click here.
TheatreStorm 