A toute la famille Bushidi, mes condoleances les plus attristees. Que son ame repose en paix.
Alain Tshilumba

Dear Feza Bushidi you were realistic and down to earth, a woman of great insight and generous to share your wisdom. You loved my mother Wambui as your own and my sisters were your sisters. I have love you. May it be well with your where you go. Joseph Njoroge Ngūgī from Nairobi Kenya

I personally never known nor met Cécile. I am Papitcho's friend and I've learnt about her passing from a mutual friend. 
I send my heartfelt condolences to you my friend, the whole family, her son, her partner and everyone who has been touched by this terrible news. I'm so sorry.

Mirelle Flore Chamba Nana
Cameroon

My dearest Cécile,
You have been such a great support to me, my dear Cécile. You were always there for me, holding my hand and helping me to achieve my dreams. You were not only a mentor but also a sister to me. You were so helpful with my research projects. 
My wonderful sister from another mother, I just wanted to say one last thing to you... I'll never forget you!
Your lovely smile and kind words will always stay with me.
You believed in me, and I'm so grateful for that. I'm really sad because my dreams are shattered now.
But don't worry, from where you are, you'll be proud of me... I'll keep going with this quest for quality that you've kindled in me.
I hope that the Eternal God Almighty, in his infinite mercy, will accept you into his embrace and watch over your loved ones.

My dear Cecile, may you find perfect peace.

Dr. Cécile Bushidi is special to me and so many others. Her "Dance in Africa" course was a transformative intellectual experience for me as a graduate student at Yale. I learned so much about African art and culture from her and I even came out of my comfort zone to try some dancing myself. Her generosity, support, and care continued well beyond the course. She brought so much grace and warmth to teaching and mentoring. I will miss her greatly.

In honour of Cécile’s 15-year-long career in the performing arts.

This photo of Cécile is one of the promotional images she used in connection with her 2008 solo ‘The Unknown’, presented at Barbican Centre (London), as part of Dance Umbrella Festival. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to find the photographer credit.

The dance critic Donald Hutera wrote of her 2007 solo ‘X:Out of place’:

“Bushidi is gorgeous to watch, alert and questioning inside an undeniable physical discipline…, mesmerising.”

Rest in peace, dear friend.

Ma très chère amie Cécile, the loss of you and your friendship is immense.

I was so fortunate to meet you as a fellow dancer in Wayne McGregor's company in London in the early 2000’s, and to know you as a truly wonderful, generous, extremely wise and always elegant friend over these nearly 20 years since. My partner Neil and I will deeply miss your visits to us, and ours to you, as you travelled your exceptional journey of achievements in your academic career as a dance historian, following your already-extraordinary achievements in your 15-year-long career in the performing arts.

Knowing you firstly as an extremely talented artist, it feels important to honour this part of your life here, in words sourced mainly from biographies written by you over the years: 

Cécile was awarded a scholarship to train at The Ailey School in New York. During her performance career, she danced with Charleroi Danses/Plan K, Pál Frenák/Lakoma, Wayne McGregor/Random Dance, and she has worked with Freddie Opoku-Addaie and Douglas Thorpe. Her first choreographic work, ‘X:Out of place’, was presented in January 2007 at The Place, and her solo work ‘The Unknown’ was presented in October 2008 at Barbican Centre, as part of Dance Umbrella Festival – both in London.

Following your performance career, the way that you journeyed from dance artist to dance historian was truly incredible and inspiring to me – so characteristic of your warm intelligence, your strong focus, and your deep insight. Seeing you complete your PhD encouraged me to embark on my own, and your strong support along the way is among the many acts of generosity that I will always be grateful to you for.

We will miss you profoundly. In so many ways, your absolutely distinctive and grace-full resonance in the world will continue to be felt and cherished, through your works, your friends and your family.

With deep sadness, and with love,
Matthias

Photos: (L) Cécile & Matthias, London 2014, (R) Cécile & Neil, Cambridge 2018

I am deeply saddened to hear this tragic news about Cecile. We first met in Cambridge and later reconnected when she moved to the US and starting making plans for future research collaborations. I learnt a lot from working with her during this period and it was an absolute pleasure to see her achieve all the things she was striving for in work and in her personal life. Cecile was truly inspirational and her passion and strong convictions made her stand out. I will miss her enormously. I send my deepest sympathy and condolences to her family and friends. 
Zoë Groves

I was deeply saddened to hear of Cécile’s passing. Though it has been years since we worked together, her memory remains vivid. 

What I remember is her grace. As someone with a passion for the history of dance, she seemed to embody its beauty and depth in her very presence. I will always remember the empathy in her eyes— she had a way of making everyone feel seen and heard.  

My thoughts are with her family, friends, and all those who were fortunate enough to know her.

It was with profound sadness that I received the tragic news of Cecile's death. I taught Cecile during her undergraduate degree at SOAS, University of London and then acted as the supervisor of her PhD thesis. She was not only a brilliant student but a close friend and I continued to follow and support her subsequent academic career culminating in her recent appointment to Barnard College with huge pride. On behalf of all who had the privilege and pleasure to know and work with Cecile at SOAS, I would like to send my deepest condolences to her partner and their infant son and to all her family in DR Congo and in France.

My dear Cecile. I’m so glad I got to meet you and got to spend time and share special memories together. I will always cherish them. RIEP . ❤️

Tu es partie si jeune. Des rares images de notre enfance à Gombe me viennent à l'esprit et je suis sans mot. Grâce à Papitcho, J'ai assisté à ta collation à Londres en 2017. Et aujourd'hui, tu n'es plus là. Mes pensées vont à toute la famille Bushidi et je prie l'Eternel pour qu'il reçoive ton âme.

I didn't know you personally but your sister-in-law Vincienne, never ceased to pray for you. We joined her in prayers but the Almighty God knows better. Rest in the power of the Almighty, Cecille.
Adieu

I am sending my most heartfelt condolences to Cecile's whole family and to her son, Victor, who will never fully know what a beautiful soul Cecile was. We became friends and colleagues after I had taught Cecile during her MSc in African Studies in Oxford, and shared a passion for dance all over the African continent. Cecile was a brilliant mind, an incredible dancer and choreographer, and a generous and loyal friend. I had never imagined that she would be taken away from us all so quickly, right when everything she had worked so hard for, and hoped for, was finally coming together. 
I am in deep sorrow and will miss Cecile always.
Hélène

Tu me manques ma très chère amie Cécile. Je n'ai pas pu te dire aurevoir. Je n'ai pas même su qu'il était déjà temps. Je ne t'oublierai pas, ton art, ton énergie, ton intelligence, ta gentillesse, ton style, tes soirées, ta bonne cuisine, et nos belles conversations. J'espère qu'un jour je pourrais connaître ton fils Victor, tellement attendu et espéré. 

Toutes mes condoléances à la famille.

Toutes nos pensées vont à la famille et aux proches de Cécile, que nous avons connue il y a quelques années à Cambridge. Des échanges avec elle, nous gardons en mémoire son sourire, son élégance, sa générosité et son intelligence fine. Nous vous accompagnons par la pensée dans ce moment douloureux. 
Fiona et Stefano

My dearest Cécile, this Christmas we spent together in Kenya seems like yesterday. You were then looking after my two-month daughter (here hidden in her bue blanket) as well as after myself. I would have like to be able to do for you what you did for me. I wish I meet Victor one day and tell him who is mother was for me and what I know of her. I have missed you and will continue to miss you, forever.

Cécile was a superb scholar, a generous colleague, and inspiring teacher. While her loss will be deeply felt in our hearts and mind, her pioneering work will remain an enduring monument to her brilliant mind. 

Mes pensées vont a` sa famille et a` ses proches dans ce douloureux moment.

Cécile shared her love of art and history with us. This photo with Newnham College's historians was taken in June 2019.

Our deepest condolences to the family. Cecile was a very generous friend and a brilliant scholar. She will be missed by many people. 
Melanie & Daniel

Ma Cécile, 

Voici une photo du lac que nous avons rebaptisé à ton nom. Nos pensées sont avec toi tous les jours depuis tout ce temps; et elles le resteront. Merci de nous avoir éclairé de ta brillance, de ton savoir et de ton amour pour le bien être. Merci pour les conversations, les bons repas et les conseils.  

Je ne t’oublierai jamais,
Mélanie

Personnellement,je ne connais pas  notre regrettée sœur Feza, seulement à voir sa photo, je ne peux m'empêcher de compatir à la douleur que ressente sa famille face à cette épreuve si amère 😢 Seul Dieu qui sait consoler les cœurs, puisse donner de la force de continuer sans elle sachant qu'on se reverra dans la gloire du tout puissant 🙏

Mes sincères condoléances les plus sincères surtout les plus attristées à la famille 🙏😢

Dieu fait des choses que nous ne comprenons pas toujours, mais nous savons que tout ce qu'il fait ou permet pour nous, c'est par amour... Il a donné Feza par amour et l'a reprise par amour.

Que cet amour comble le vide laissé par la disparition de Feza, dans les cœurs de ceux pour qui elle était chère. 

Sincères condoléances à toute la famille Bushidi ainsi qu'à la belle famille de Feza.

God remains good all the time.

Nous présentons nos sincères condoléances à la famille toute entière. 
Nous prions l'Éternel qu'Il vous assiste tout au long de cette dure période et qu'Il panse vos cœurs meurtris par cette douloureuse disparition. 
Une pensée particulière pour son époux et son bébé. 
Nous sommes de coeur avec vous ❤️
Karine et Xavier (Belgique)

OBITUARY

Feza C Bushidi

December 26, 1980 – November 12, 2024

Werst & LaBella Funeral Home

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