Every group in society has its own way of understanding its natural and social environments. The Egungun Masked dance has long been a part of the daily life of the Yoruba community in Nigeria, and is practiced for the common good. This dance is usually done to ritually “cleanse” the environment of things seen as negative, a ceremony to celebrate births and deaths, a medium to bring messages and hope, and as a festival. In “Strategic Multilogue”, Segun continues the Yoruba traditional way of understanding the world through scocial recreation of of traditional Egungun dance performances.
Segun Adefila is a theater director and choreographer. His first encounter with arts started from his childhood, in which as a child, he danced with masquerades during traditional festivals. He had his informal training in theatre with Black Image Theatre Company.
In June 1996, formed Crown Troupe of Africa with a couple of friends in his neighborhood. With this group, he shares a common belief in the viablity of the arts as a tool for social re-engineering, a major motive of dedication to creating works that are socially relevant, thought provoking and empowering. In 1997, he studied for a certificate in Drama from the defunct Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Lagos. He then obtained his B.A. in Creative Arts from the same institution in 2002. He has worked extensively in the integrated arts of dance, drama, music and visual arts and has created works with his group of young theatre makers. He has involved in numerous projects and performances, both individually and group, in Nigeria and internationally. He lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.