Circassian artist
https://www.instagram.com/mahamatfofana
https://www.mahamatfofana.com

Supported Project: Mahamat
Compagny La main de l’homme (Clément Davin)

Born in 1995 in Ivory Coast, Mahamat Fofana arrived in France at the age of nine. He began his journey with capoeira in 2012, when a troupe of capoeiristas performed at his high school. He was immediately captivated by this combination of fighting and dance, which allows performers to convey positive emotions (through music, singing, etc.) while executing impressive moves. 
Spotted by his capoeira teacher, two years later he was invited to participate in the Avignon Festival as an acrobat in Molière’s play Le malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid). It was then that he realized how much he enjoyed sharing his emotions with an audience. While pursuing his engineering studies at the Ecole des Mines, Mahamat discovered the artists Andrea Catozzi and Mario Español, acrobatic dancers who brilliantly and poetically combine capoeira with contemporary dance, breakdancing, and other disciplines. 
These two artists inspired him to expand his physical vocabulary through other styles. The circus, in all its diversity, finally came into his life by chance in 2018 while he was looking for balance classes in Paris. 
Freshly graduated from the Ecole des Mines, he left for Vietnam to work in solar energy for Bouygues. In 2019, he decided to terminate his contract and return to France to devote himself fully to his passion. In 2020, he joined the Académie Fratellini, graduating in 2023. He is now an acrodance and theater performer for several companies: Uppercut Danseteater, Cie Les Attentifs, Cie Käfig, and Cie La Main de l’Homme (Clément Dazin). In 2024, he also worked with Hermès on a performance with Suzanne Meyer and with Paris Fashion Week.