Acclaimed jazz artist Dee Dee Bridgewater joins IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop to reflect on a remarkable five-decade career. She discusses the experiences that have influenced her work, from Memphis to New York and Paris, as well as her acclaimed Red Earth project, which deepened her connection to her African heritage. The conversation explores mentorship, women's empowerment, artistic ownership, and her advocacy as a UN FAO Goodwill Ambassador, offering insights on leadership, legacy, and the power of culture to drive impact.

Dans cet épisode de Creative Development with IFC, Makhtar Diop s'entretient avec Germaine Acogny, danseuse, chorégraphe et pédagogue de renommée internationale, souvent considérée comme la mère de la danse africaine contemporaine. Pour elle, la danse est bien plus qu'un art : c'est un outil d'éducation, de communication et de transformation sociale. La conversation explore son travail pionnier à l'École des Sables, ainsi que le rôle des traditions chorégraphiques africaines dans la création d'opportunités pour les jeunes et le développement d'un tourisme culturel durable à l'échelle du continent.

Moving the Continent: Germaine Acogny on Dance, Culture, and Africa's Creative Future

In this episode of Creative Development with IFC, Managing Director Makhtar Diop sits down with Germaine Acogny, the internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, and educator often regarded as the mother of contemporary African dance. For Acogny, dance is far more than an art form, it is a tool for education, communication, and social transformation. The conversation explores her pioneering work at École des Sables, as well as the role of African choreographic traditions in creating opportunities for young people and fostering the development of sustainable cultural tourism across the continent.

In this episode of Creative Development with IFC, Makhtar Diop sits down with world champion freediver Vitomir Maričić, a man who pushes the limits of human endurance - including setting the Guinness World Record for the longest breath-hold at an astonishing 29 minutes and 3 seconds.

Freediving is one of the world's most extreme sports. With no oxygen tanks and no room for error, athletes descend hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface on a single breath. Vitomir shares what it takes, physically and mentally, to survive and excel in such a high-stakes environment, and how that discipline shapes his approach to life and business.

The conversation also explores Vitomir's deep commitment to ocean conservation and the urgent need for responsible action to protect marine ecosystems.