Press Release
Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience Durban 22 - 31 August, 2003
One of the highlights on Durban ’s dance calendar is the Centre for Creative Arts’ Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience - a feast of dance showcasing a range of top local and international dance which took place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, the NSA Gallery, Wiggins Hall in Cato Manor and the Austerville Hall in Wentworth from August 22 – 31.
As a key contemporary dance festival in South Africa , Jomba! offers creative exchange opportunities for local choreographers and arts practitioners. The festival comprises a ten-day programme packed with performances, workshops and dance skills-sharing, master classes and heated debates on dance and arts issues.
The foreign contingent included works by Finnish choreographer Jyrki Karttunen, and Dutch breakdance hip/hop crew Illusionary RockAz and a collaborative work by South Africa 's Moeketsi Koena and Madagascar-based choreographer Gaby Saranouffi.
A key objective of Jomba! is to nurture and develop Durban 's own contemporary dance scene. With this in mind local dance companies Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre, Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company, Phenduka Dance Theatre and Flatfoot Dance Company, formed an integral part of this year’s festival.
Jyrki Karttunen presented Keiju (Fairy) a dance work for adults disguised as a fairy tale. Interacting and performing alongside projected visual images of himself dancing, Karttunen's piece is groundbreaking stuff that has blasted contemporary dance into unchartered performance territory. He has danced in the ranks of the Helsinki City Theatre Dance Company (1989-93) and performed in the Finnish National Ballet as a visiting soloist. He has performed in many major contemporary choreographic works in addition to making new works of his own. In 1997 and 2000, Karttunen was awarded a three-year state grant for dance in Finland . Performances of Keiju were on August 22 and August 23 at 7.30pm .
The collaborative work from Moeketsi Koena and Gaby Saranouffi, Blame Me Blind . which was initially commissioned by the FNB Dance Umbrella and assisted by IFAS, encouraged the audience to think about HIV/AIDS through the use of music, poetry, film and dance. Koena is a choreographer and performer who studied at the P.A.R.T.S. School in Brussels. He has traveled extensively and concerns himself with many community outreach projects. Gaby Saranouffi is a choreographer, dancer and teacher who has studied in Franc , Belgium and Senega . In 1998 she entered and won the Karajia dance festival, and won the most outstanding female performer in 1999 - 2000. Blame me Blind was performed at the Wiggins Hall, in Cato Manor on August 26 at 6.30pm and at the Sneddon Theatre on August 27 at 7.30pm . The two conducted workshops at Wiggins Hall in Cato Manor on August 25 at 2.30pm and at the UND Dance Studio on August 27 at 2pm .
Award-winning, street smart Dutch breakdance crew the Illusionary RockAz presented a modern epic entitled Age of Chaos. Using the art of breakdancing, "poppin" and "lockin" in a spectacular dance adventure with 3D computer generated images, Age of Chaos, was another new unchartered dance experience for local audiences. Choreographed by the company, the dance work told the story of five warriors who are sent by the Gods from a magical world to the Earth to perform several tasks to bring Earth back to balance. The Illusionary RockAz performed on August 30 at 1.30pm at the Austerville Hall in Wentworth and at the Sneddon at 7.30pm the same day. They also conduced a two hour breakdance workshop at the Silvertree Road Hall in Wentworth on August 29 and another at the BAT hall Sunday August 31.
The Flatfoot Dance Company's a stranger in a strange land choreographed by Lliane Loots, was a thought-provoking study into the consciousness of the South Africa story which looks at dreams versus reality: Is this the South Africa of our nightmares and of our visions? Flatfoot performed on August 29 and August 30.
Jay Pather's Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre performed O, a work that examines the concept "zero" or nothingness which evolves around the celebration of the moving body in space. Siwela performed on 28, 29 and 30 August.
Phenduka Dance Theatre presented When the Outside Comes In, which won the Daimler Chrysler Award for South African Choreography in 2003. Choreographed by Sbonakaliso Ndaba, this work was about African ancestral spirits and examines what it means to be a contemporary South African and to confront the schism between the traditional rural and modern beliefs and values.
In the tradition of Phenduka’s search for an African contemporary dance language a second work entitled Ekhaya Ngingumhambi (At Home I am a Stranger) has been choreographed by Sifiso Kweyama These works were performed on August 28 and 29. Phenduka conducted an open level contemporary dance workshop at the UND Dance studio on August 30.
Run For Cover is a new work conceived and choreographed by David Gouldie, Resident Choreographer of Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company. It looks at how we identify ourselves in an evolving society. What do we consider the 'norm'? By portraying what we consider the accepted stereotype we can assert who we are, who we would like to be and who we are terrified of being associated with. FFFDC perform on August 28 and 29.
As part of Jomba’s philosophy to nurture and encourage emerging dance talent ten young choreographers have been given grants by the Centre for Creative Arts to create new works for the festival: The Jomba Young Choreographers’ Grants have been awarded to Musa Hlatshwayo, Ignatius van Heerden, Neliswa Rushualang, Sphelele Nzama and Mlungisi Zondi. Their cutting edge new works will be presented on the last night of the festival (August 31 at 7.30pm ) which has traditionally been an exciting culmination of the festival.
Young choreographers/performance artists Vaughn Sadie, Suhana Gordhan, Ntando Cele, Samantha Wright and Siyanda Duma have been given grants for new works to be presented as Jomba! Dance Quickies at the NSA Gallery on August 25 at 6.30pm .
The Centre for Creative Arts acknowledges the kind support of principal sponsors The National Lottery and The Royal Netherlands Embassy, as well as sponsors and partners The National Arts Council of South Africa, Ethekwini Municipality, Hivos, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Embassy of Finland (S.A.), The French Institute of South Africa (I.F.A.S.), University of Natal - Public Affairs Division, NSA Gallery, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
Tickets can be purchased through Computicket, or at Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre one hour before performances. Ticket prices are R30 for adults, R15 for students (except at "Other Venues"). Festival enquiries: Tel: 031-2602506 or 2603118
Email: jomba@ukzn.ac.za . Website: www.cca.ukzn.ac.za
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Sharlene Versfeld : Jomba! Media & Communications
Versfeld & Associates
031-2011650
July 28, 2003 media contact : works@artslink.co.za top
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INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES AT JOMBA!
· The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Embassy of Finland in S.A. are acknowledged for their support of JYRKI KARTTUNEN, dancer and choreographer with artists collective Nomadi Productions, who brings his ethereal production KEIJU (FAIRY) to JOMBA!. A blend of video images and dance, Keiju is an all-ages fairytale destined to become an instant cult classic.
· The Royal Netherlands Embassy has been a principal funder of JOMBA! for the past six years, and this year’s festival is proud to feature Dutch dance excellence as a recognition of the support from the Embassy. THE ILLUSIONARY ROCKAZ, one of Holland ’s most exciting breakdance crews, will perform their spectacular theatrical adventure, “THE AGE OF CHAOS”, a mix of breakdance and video. The Age of Chaos tells the story of five immortal warriors sent by the gods from a magical world to aid those on Earth in their battle against evil.
 · JOMBA! is pleased to be hosting MOEKETSI KOENA of Inzalo Dance and Theatre company ( S.A. ) and GABY SARANOUFFI of Vahinala Dance Company ( Madagascar ) with support from the French Institute of South Africa . Their performance piece, BLAME ME BLIND, is a collaborative Arts and AIDS education dance project aimed at inspiring the public to actively participate in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
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DURBAN ’S BEST AT JOMBA!
A key objective of JOMBA! is to nurture Durban ’s own contemporary dance talent. The Centre for Creative Arts has therefore provided grants to the following award winning local companies to premier fresh innovative work at the festival:
Durban's Best at JOMBA!
FANTASTIC FLYING FISH DANCE COMPANY
FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY
PHENDUKA DANCE THEATRE
SIWELA SONKE DANCE THEATRE
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FANTASTIC FLYING FISH DANCE COMPANY with new work choreographed by David Gouldie
Title: Run for Cover
Choreographed by: David Gouldie
Company: Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company
Dancers: Ebrahim Medell, Quinton Ribbonaar, Angela Lardant, Louise Fraquet and Thulebona Mzizi
Music: Original & Various Artists
Duration: 25 minutes
Run For Cover, looks at how we identify ourselves in an evolving society. What do we consider the ‘norm’? By portraying what we consider the accepted stereotype we can assert who we are, who we would like to be and with whom we are terrified of being associated!
About the Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company:
 photo cc V Adamson Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company at Jomba 2002
This versatile and exciting Durban-based, neo-classical contemporary dance company was formed in 1998 under the Artistic Direction of Mark Hawkins and company administrator, Peter Taylor. Though classically based their repertoire extends to contemporary and modern dance, from commercial dance to physical theatre and performance dance and theatre. The versatility and adaptability of the dancers and the repertoire allows the company to explore new horizons and not be restricted in any existing boundaries in dance. Its principle purpose is creating work that is identifiable with and indigenous of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and Africa. Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company runs an Outreach and Development programme, Cato Manor Vibe!!, with children and teenagers from the neighbouring informal settlement. FFFDC also produces educational programmes for primary and secondary school learners which tour the region.
About the Choreographer:
David Gouldie joined the NAPAC Dance Company in 1990 until 1993 when he left to freelance, working with various South African companies. During his period with NAPAC he choreographed his first works, one of which, the last time I checked I thought I loved you, was an FNB Vita commission. Gouldie has received commissions from other South African dance companies, and been involved in the education-based projects Reachout Youth Dance Performance Project, Kopano and BP Musicactive Performance Project. In 1998 Gouldie joined Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company as Resident Choreographer, and was nominated for an FNB Vita Award for Best Contemporary Work at the FNB Vita Dance Umbrella (Johannesburg) and at the FNB Vita Dance Shongololo (Durban). In 1999, together with Mary-Ann de Wet and Mark Hawkins, he was nominated for their collaborative work, I looked behind and he was drowning, in the FNB Vita Awards category of Best Presentation of an Original Contemporary Dance Work. Gouldie co-choreographed with Mark Hawkins a new production of Romeo & Juliet which received the 2001 FNB Vita Award (Durban) for Best Choreography in a Contemporary Style. He was one of eight finalists for the Daimler Chrysler Award for SA Choreography in November 2002 with the work One colour short of a rainbow. In addition to choreographing for FFFDC, Gouldie teaches company class, takes rehearsals and is actively involved with the company’s outreach programme, Cato Manor Vibe!!, and school educational programmes. top |
FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY with new work choreographed by Lliane Loots  photo cc mVal Adamson for Jomba promotion purposes only
FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY
Title: "A STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND"
Choreography: Lliane Loots (and the dancers)
Dancers: Marise Kyd, Welile Tembe, Suhana Gordhan, Caroline van Wyk, Musa Hlatshway, S’phele Nzama, Ntokozo Mthethwa, S’fiso Ngcobo
Text: Lliane Loots, Iain Robinson, Nathan Redpath and selected sections from Antjie Krog’s Country of My Skull
Music: Jim Morrison, Ravi Shankar, and Soweto String Quartet
EmCees: Illuminating Shadows featuring King Babar (Nathan Redpath) and Creamy Ewok Baggends (Iain Robinson)
Company Manager: Clare Craighead
Schools’ Programme: Wesley Maherry and Claudette Wagner
PROGRAMME NOTE: "Awaking from a dream, we look around as we gasp for consciousness; which world is real? The one we have just left in our nightmares or the one that stares at us outside our front door? Did you ever confuse a dream with reality? Did you ever think you were moving while you were standing still? Did you ever listen to the TRC and wish reality were just a dream? Driving through our landscapes, rural and urban, have you ever felt like a stranger wondering how cosmic consciousness can call us all ‘one’? Stepping out the front door we embrace a strange land, each time new, journeying to find our place in what we all want to call home. This too is holy ground and our guides are not always who we think they might be. This is the South Africa of our nightmares and of our visions … sometimes you have to give up everything to see the bigger picture?" ~ Lliane Loots ~
About Lliane Loots:
The artistic director of FLATFOOT, Lliane Loots is also the dance lecturer in the Drama and Performance Studies Programme at the University of Natal (Durban). Loots has worked, trained at, and exchanged with (amongst others) the London Contemporary Dance School, the Laban Centre (London), the Danses Huis (Copenhagen) and at Nrityagram in India, She has won numerous dance and choreographic awards, the most recent being the 2002 FNB VITA award for Best Choreography (for her work "in the valley of the shadow of death"). She has recently been awarded a commission to make a work for the 2004 FNB VITA DANCE UMBRELLA in Johannesburg, and will take her most recent work in progress, "The Orion Project", to be performed by Flatfoot Dance company. She has been a guest choreographer for both Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre and for the Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company, and has recently just finished a choreographic collaboration with Lene Østergaard from Copenhagen (Denmark).
About Flatfoot Dance Company:
FLATFOOT is a Durban-based contemporary dance company working to create socially conscious dance theatre that engages with the context in which we find ourselves living. The training methods of the company are based on the techniques of Graham, Hawkins and Release, but we also access the rich and vibrant dance language of traditional African (Zulu) dance, classical Indian dance and do a basic ballet class once a week. The company received project funding from the National Arts Council for 2003 and is also strongly supported by the Drama and Performance Studies Programme (University of Natal – Durban). FLATFOOT has a student training company of 18 dancers and also has a schools dance outreach project, which has taught over 90 workshops in schools in the KZN area. FLATFOOT boasts a youth outreach dance project in KwaMashu which is run by FLATFOOT dancer S’phelele Nzama. Musa Hlatshwayo, one of the FLATFOOT dancers, has also recently brought honour to the company by having his work ("ABAKHWETHA – THE INITIATES") selected for the AFFA Fifth Africa and Indian Ocean Choreography competition in Madagascar in November 2003. top |
 PHENDUKA DANCE THEATRE with new works choreographed by Sbonakaliso Ndaba and Sifiso Kweyama
Title: WHEN THE OUTSIDE COMES IN
Choreographer: Sbonakaliso Ndaba
Dancers: Ondine Bello, Bonginkosi Biyela, Mpume Gasa, Sthembiso Gcabashe, Sifiso Khumalo, Mlekeleli Khuzwayo, S’busiso Ngidi, Sifiso Majola, Vusi Makhanya, Sanele Mzinyane, Gcina Shange
Costume design: Greg King
Music: Flood (Jocelyn Pook)
Sacred Spirit (The Fearsome Brave)
When the Outside Comes In
When the outside comes in the future has begun,
What is missed is gone, the turning point cannot return,
Once the point has turned the moment is gone – will action fall away?
Let the outside in,
Let energy where it will and the universe direct thoughts,
Expressions, hopes, confusion.
Let not your point of start remain – the process has begun.
About the Choreographer:
Sbonakaliso Ndaba, winner of the Daimler Chrysler Award for South African Choreography 2003, has firmly set her mark upon the South African dance scene as a choreographer who scrutinizes her culture, its place in South African society and how the two interact and react with one another. From her initial beginnings with Phenduka Dance Theatre (initially, in 1989, a project for unemployed youth) Ndaba has developed into a dance-maker who redefines dance language as a medium that can heal our wounds by dissecting our ways of thinking.
Title: EKHAYA NGINGUMHAMBI (At Home I am a Stranger)
Choreographer: Sifiso Kweyama
Dancers: Ondine Bello, Sthembiso Gcabashe, Mlekeleli Khuzwayo, Sanele Mzinyane, Vusi Makhanya, Gcina Shange
Music: Ambient Meditations (Return to the Source)
About the Choreographer:
Sifiso Kweyama began his dance career with Phenduka Dance Theatre in 1989 and moved on to Jazzart Dance Theatre to continue his training under Alfred Hinkel. In 1997 Sifiso began teaching and choreographing for Jazzart and created a number of works that remain in the company’s repertoire and have toured internationally. Sifiso’s choreographic signature is his ability to weave his life experiences, and those of the people with whom he interacts, into beautifully lyrical dance language that comments on our society and how it shapes who we are.
Phenduka Dance Theatre is supported by the National Arts Council of South Africa
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SIWELA SONKE DANCE THEATRE with new work choreographed by Jay Pather
Title: 0
Choreography: Jay Pather
Dancers: Siyanda Duma, Ntombi Gasa and Neliswa Rushualang
Company: Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre
The zero stood for emptiness or absence, but also space, the firmament, the celestial vault, the atmosphere and ether.
Georges Ifrah
Now thou art an 0 without a figure
I am better than thou art now
I am a fool, thou art nothing
Fool to King Lear (Shakespeare)
What did the mystic say to the hot-dog vendor?
Make me one with everything.
Laurence Kushener
About Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre:
Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre, under the artistic direction of Jay Pather, has performed extensively in South Africa and abroad, touring Germany, India, Sri Lanka, USA, France, Australia and Angola. The Company opened the Interface Festival of Theatre and Dance in London, and appeared as one of 10 African dance companies in Madagascar at the Danse en Creations/Sanga II Festival. Their commissioned productions over the past years include A South African Siddhartha for the National Arts Festival, State of Grace, High Art, Forked Tongues and Laws of Recall for JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Festivals, and Shifting Spaces Tilting Time and Tatamachance for Dance Umbrella, as well as commissioned works for the XIII International AIDS Conference and the Commonwealth Heads of State Conference. Siwela Sonke’s latest productions were Edge, which featured the work of fifteen fresh new upstarts in dance, fashion and video art; a dance work about Soccer, commissioned by the British Council, and Home, commissioned by the National Arts Festival for its Main Programme. Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre have performed CityScapes in various outdoor spaces and art galleries in Durban and Johannesburg. A future production entitled Nightscapes will bring together contemporary dance, video projections on buildings and lighting design in various public spaces, a new CityScapes at night
About the Choreographer:
Jay Pather obtained his MA from New York University where he studied Dance Theatre as a Fulbright Scholar. Since being appointed as Artistic Director of Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre in 1996 he has produced over fifty new works, earning several FNB Vita Awards for Choreography and Performance. Pather was also commissioned to choreograph and direct Ahimsa-Ubuntu, based on Mahatma Gandhi’s life in South Africa. This production was invited by Mrs Sonia Gandhi and the S.A. High Commission to tour India and Sri Lanka. Pather has delivered papers at a range of conferences including Confluences Dance Conference in Cape Town as Keynote Speaker, the Culture and Resistance Conference in Harlem, the Interface Inter-Cultural Conference at the British Institute in London, the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, and the L’Afrique en Creations Conference hosted by AFAA in Lille, France.
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JOMBA Dance Quickies @ the NSA
THE JOMBA! DANCE QUICKIES @ THE NSA is a new development project of JOMBA! where five young choreographers/performance artists are given a small grant by the Centre for Creative Arts to make a new work for the NSA Gallery space.
This year the recipients are:
Ntando Cele
Siyanda Duma
Suhana Gordhan
Vaughn Sadie
Samantha Wright
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1. Siyanda Duma
Title: Small Change
Name(s) of Dancers: Siyanda Duma, plus ...
Music: Letta Mbule, Harry Belafonte & others
About the Work: The work speaks about the situations and conditions we are brought up in from youth, and how we always try to get ourselves out, in a search for change. The work includes an improvised solo.
About Siyanda :
Siyanda lives in KwaMashu, where he was born and grew up living with a large family of aunts and uncles. One of his deepest passions is the township and its people. His interest in dance began in the township, where he danced isipantsula in the classrooms. He began taking choreography lessons from Jay Pather as a student at the Durban Institute of Technology. His previous works include ‘Solitude’ and ‘Soul’. In 2003, he was a recipient of the JOMBA FNB Vita New Moves Grant, for which he created the work ‘Boyhood’. In 2002, he completed a three-month residency at the Copenhagen School for Modern Dance in Denmark . He is presently working for Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre. In 2002 he was invited to be part of the FNB VITA DANCE UMBRELLA Young Choreographers residency Programme. He is presently studying for a graduate diploma in Dance in the Drama and Performance Studies Programme at the University of Natal ( Durban )
2. Vaughn Sadie
Title: Untitled
Name(s) of Performers: Vaughn Sadie
About Vaughn:
Vaughn is currently completing his B Tech in Fine Arts at the Durban Institute of Technology. He has participated in several RED EYE events, and has exhibited his work in and around Durban , most recently at HOME, in the Cupboard Gallery, with a show entitled ‘Talisman(s)’ . He has produced a range of works which include elements of video, performance and installation. Vaughn’s work interrogates the means through which society enforces ideological norms by censoring and manipulating information, to construct subjective truths. These truths impact on the formation of identity, and form the basis from which other realities are evaluated.
3. Ntando Cele
Title: Sakubona
About the Work: Humans are brought into this world and taught that happiness comes from being accepted by others, either at home or in the community. The title of the piece refers to the greeting in Zulu – we feel better about ourselves if we are acknowledged.
About Ntando:
Ntando grew up on the Bluff, and started performing when she was 15 years old, touring Durban in Children’s theatre. After matric she studied Drama at Technikon Natal (now Durban Institute of Technology) majoring in dance, singing and acting. In 2001 she directed a workshopped third year production that was performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. After graduating, Ntando worked at the Barnyard Theatre as manager. The same year she toured KZN with an Eskom Aids Awareness show. Next, Ntando went to the U.S. with a local theatre company, and toured New York performing and doing workshops. In 2003 she has been in involved with ‘Hooked on Books’ which toured schools in KZN. She has also directed a show for the Red Eye Fifth Birthday Celebration.
4. Samantha Wright
Title: Bitter Sweet!
Music:“Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes” – Paul Simon
About the work: So often we try to block out the disturbing things in our lives. We try and make excuses as to why things are a certain way and why we are not doing anything to try and change the situation. We turn a blind eye to poverty and abuse; we like to see roses everywhere, when in fact the world is full of destruction and war. This work looks into the heart to see what we are denying with our eyes. Imagine looking at a beautiful ballet dancer dancing over four body bags, filled with the bodies of people who were helpless against AIDS or inhumane killing. Which would you prefer to look at? The dancer, or the bodies? We need to open our eyes to the realities of South Africa , and do something, no matter how small, to help.
About Samantha: She’s fresh, exciting and new! Samantha lives in Woodlands where she grew up. She recently completed her 3-year diploma in Drama at the Durban Institute of Technology, where she majored in Dance, Choreography and Singing. While a student, she performed in ‘Medea’ and ‘ Dance Explosion’, choreographed by Jay Pather. Earlier this year, she was asked to create a work for Siwela Sonke’s “Edge” season at The Playhouse. Samantha has also performed in works such as ‘Grease’, ‘The way of Us’ (directed by Ellis Pearson), and ‘Conduct of Life’. In addition, she has lent her talents to the corporate stage, performing in an ESKOM Aids Awareness program, dancing at Jacob Zuma’s birthday party, and performing for Suncaast Casino and Metro Water. On Saturdays, she teaches Drama to school learners.
5. Suhana Gordhan
Title: Anti Wrinkle Cream
Name(s) of Dancers: Leona Gwamanda, Gene Rogers, Edmund Zingu
Music: Mambo Kings & Jacques Brel
About the Work:
To the winter of our lives,
It comes to us all
May we go to it with beauty, love and grace
Remembering that “every wrinkle [is] but a note in the quiet Calendar of a well-spent life.”
About Suhana: At the tender age of six, Suhana’s mum asked her if she wanted to do ballet or Indian dance. She chose ballet. Thanks to her mum and the universe, she has been dancing ever since, and has a broken lampshade in the dining room to prove it! Suhana found Flatfoot Dance Company in 1997, and there discovered the beauty and freedom of contemporary dance. Besides ‘Anti Wrinkle Cream’, she has choreographed one other work, entitled ‘Foaming in the Head’. Suhana says that she tried to leave dance for a while, to pursue a ‘serious’ job, but found it impossible to deny her soul’s desire. So here she is, with constant ‘dinomania’ – the sudden urge to dance! Suhana is presently a full time dancer with Flatfoot Dance Company.
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JOMBA! and C.C.A. MAKE SPACE FOR NEW TALENT
The JOMBA! YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS programme provides a space for five promising young choreographers to present a new work at the JOMBA! festival. With performance grants funded by the Centre for Creative Arts, this Sunday night programme (31 August) will prove to be one of the most exciting and innovative evenings of the festival. This year the recipients are:
· Musa Hlatshwayo
· Sphelele Nzama
· Neliswa Rushualang
· Ignatius van Heerden
· Mlungisi Zondi
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| The JOMBA! FRINGE programme (held on Sunday 24 August) offers an OPEN platform for all dance companies working in the contemporary, fusion or cross-over idiom of contemporary dance performance to enter work. Five works will be selected and given a free performance platform. top |
CLASSES and WORKSHOPS
(Check the JOMBA! schedule for a range of Classes, Workshops and dance education activities available to dancers and members of the public. All activities are available and free of charge to dancers and members of public, but please phone to book (Tel: 260 1142); places strictly on a first come first served basis.) top
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IINTERNATIONAL COMPANIES AT JOMBA!
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JYRKI KARTTUNEN - NOMADI PRODUCTIONS
· The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Embassy of Finland in S.A. are acknowledged for their support of JYRKI KARTTUNEN, dancer and choreographer with artists collective Nomadi Productions, who brings his ethereal production KEIJU (FAIRY) to JOMBA!. A blend of video images and dance, Keiju is an all-ages fairytale destined to become an instant cult classic.
Title:  KEIJU (FAIRY)
Choreography & concept: Jyrki Karttunen
Dancer: Jyrki Karttunen
Lighting, sound & set design: Kimmo Karjunen
Video: Kimmo Karjunen
Technical Assistant: Timo Hynninen
Music: Leena Jousenlahti
Music recording: Teemu Korpipää, Jouko Kyhälä
Costume design: Marja Uusitalo
Make-up design: Tuija Luukkainen
Photos and graphics: Ninna Lindström
Choreographer’s note:
“Keiju is a kind of dance work for adults situated in the world of the fairytale. A fairytale is always accompanied by a certain enchanting inexplicability, which is what I would like the audience to experience while watching the work. It is mainly for this reason that I want to tell you all, like children diving into a fairytale, that you’ll have to wait and see what happens next. In this work, Keiju is catapulted into a timeless no man’s land between the world of flowers and everyday reality without being able to hold on to either. For me, the central question contained in the character of Keiju is the relation to one’s own subjective ideal world and the search for it. The search in itself changes into the answer to that question, which is the final result. In the work, dance and choreography create Keiju”s nature, while the videos create his past and subconscious. The music creates Keiju’s fate.” Press reviews from Dance Europe state: “ This mature, beatific all-ages production is a cherishable blend of technical and kinetic imagination and emotional depth. Working with designer Kimmo Karjunen and musician Leena Jousenlahti, Karttunen turns the stage into an ethereal world and creates a timeless, multi-faceted titular character to inhabit it. Delicate, touching and delightfully romantic, Fairy, is an instant cult classic that makes you want to embrace its makers.”
About Jyrki Karttunen and Nomadi Productions:
In the course of his career Jyrki Karttunen has created much first rate, powerfully expressive work, including his work as a dancer at the Helsinki City Theatre Dance Company (1989-1993), and as a guest performer at the Finnish National Ballet. Karttunen became a free-lance dancer in 1993, and since then he has performed in many major contemporary choreographic works, and made new works of his own. Karttunen has moved increasingly from being a dancer to being a choreographer, but dancing is and remains the starting point for his activity. As a choreographer, Karttunen strives for polyphony by many different means, for example by uniting so-called high culture and more popular art into one. Karttunen began his choreographic work in 1995. He completed the highly praised digital duende in 1998, and it was performed then at FNB Dance Umbrella. Karttunen’s choreographic work includes Keiju (Fairy, 2002), Alla (Under, 2001) and Mr & Mrs Betlehem (2000).
Nomadi Productions is a production association for Finnish freelance dance artists which produces and promotes dance works for performance and other artistic or educational purposes in Finland and abroad. Nomadi Productions was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Dance in 1999. “The artist’s collective, Nomadi, is responsible for some of the best contemporary dance in Finland , and perhaps, the world.” (Dance Europe , October 2002)
Sponsored by:
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Embassy of Finland
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ILLUSIONARY ROCKAZ
· The Royal Netherlands Embassy has been a principal funder of JOMBA! for the past six years, and this year’s festival is proud to feature Dutch dance excellence as a recognition of the support from the Embassy. THE ILLUSIONARY ROCKAZ, one of Holland ’s most exciting breakdance crews, will perform their spectacular theatrical adventure, “THE AGE OF CHAOS”, a mix of breakdance and video. The Age of Chaos tells the story of five immortal warriors sent by the gods from a magical world to aid those on Earth in their battle against evil.
Title: THE AGE OF CHAOS
Choreography: Illusionary RockaZ
Coaching & advice: Mohamed Berlarbi, Vagabond Crew, Paris
Dancers: Justin van der Lek (Masterius)
Shailes Bahoran (Vortex)
Richard Toft (Recharge)
Julian Boasman (Ringo J)
Raymond den Uijl (The Fabulous Kid)
Technicians: Ingeborg Slaats & Trix Waters
Music: Mix of Hip-hop & film music by Illusionary RockaZ
About The Age of Chaos:
The Age of Chaos is a theatrical performance based on the art of breakdancing, and ‘poppin’ & locking’, and more, springing from their own creativity. Not an ordinary show, this mix of breakdance and video is a spectacular adventure, featuring 3D computer generated images displayed on a big screen.
The Age of Chaos tells the story of five warriors sent by the gods to a magical world called Earthlore to perform several tasks to bring Earthlore back into balance. The Dark Lord Ravanon had enslaved many of the races and started the Age of Chaos, but Jys-Kal, one of the five Mages of the White Order who were responsible for keeping peace and order in Earthlore, formed a great army of all the free races to fight against Ravanon. When Jys-Kal asked the White Order for help, five immortal warriors were sent to aid him in battle. Recharge’s mission is to go to the Barbaric Wake Plains to train people into mighty warriors for the army; Raymbo goes to the Ruins of Caldus Dorrana to heal the soil and rebuild farms, and makes medicines to aid the sick in the coming battle; Masterius’ mission is to go to Ador, the land of the blacksmiths, to make weapons for the army; Vortex escorts the helpless to a safe place, far away from darkness; and Ringo J, the oldest and wisest, discusses plans and strategies in the palace of the White Order.
About The Illusionary RockaZ:
The Dutch breakdance crew ‘The Illusionary RockaZ’ was founded in 1998 and have built up quite a reputation, winning numerous battles, such as Best Show Spin Off 2000 & 2001, Best Show Dutch bboy Championships 2001, Best Show Battle of the Year Benelux 2001/2002, and Best ‘Duo 2 on 2’ Spin Off 2002. The Illusionary RockaZ were the opening support show on a Wu-Tang clan’s tour.
Mohamed Berlabi, coach and adviser to Illusionary RockaZ, has danced since he was ten years old. He was choreographer and dancer with ‘OPosse’, a group whose style is characterized by Poppin’ & Locking, Hype and Boogaloo. Mohamed teaches at various dance schools in Paris and is founder of The Vagabond Crew which has won many international breakdance competitions. This year they are selected for the ‘ Battle of the Year’, Europe ’s greatest international breakdance competition with contestants from all over the world.
Supported by Royal Netherlands Embassy
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· JOMBA! is pleased to be hosting MOEKETSI KOENA of Inzalo Dance and Theatre company (S.A. ) and GABY SARANOUFFI of Vahinala Dance Company (Madagascar) with support from the French Institute of South Africa . Their performance piece, BLAME ME BLIND, is a collaborative Arts and AIDS education dance project aimed at inspiring the public to actively participate in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
MOEKETSI KOENA and GABY SARANOUFFI of INZALO DANCE AND THEATRE COMPANY
Title: BLAME ME BLIND
Choreography & Dance: Moeketsi Koena and Gaby Saranouffi
Video: Seipone Production
Dramatology: Vincent Kevin Jones
Costumes: Vee Productions
Lighting Technician: David Hlatswayo
Music Composition: Karabo Mohlala (saxophone)
Thabiso Tshetlo (sound engineer)
Bongani Kubheka (video & sound engineer)
About Blame Me Blind:
Blame me blind is a collaborative Arts and AIDS education dance project between Inzalo Dance and Theatre Company (S.A.) and Vahinala Dance Company from Madagascar . The aim of the project is to bring educational information to the people in a new and exciting manner, at a gut-level of human experience. Through dance and video footage the audience immediately integrates the information and stimulates the desire for self-research, thus questioning and exposing audiences to ideas behind social problems, art and how the two can be integrated. Blame Me Blind is an integrative dance and educational programme that inspires the public, the ordinary people, to actively participate in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The lifestyles and problems of people suffering HIV/AIDS in South Africa and Madagascar will be researched, video documented and amalgamated into a confrontation of dance with images and experiences to, not only create an awareness and understanding of HIV/AIDS, but also of the theatre and its possibilities, through using theatrical and electronic mediums, to communicate with the public.
Artists Profiles:
Moeketsi Koena, choreographer and performer, studied at the P.A.R.T.S. School in Brussels . On his return he co-founded Inzalo Dance and Theatre company with Sello Pesa. Koena has choreographed for companies such as Moving into Dance and Soweto Dance Theatre. In 1999 he won the FNB Vita’s most outstanding male performer in a contemporary style, and in 2000, the young choreographer’s grant. His works include such well known pieces as Solve for X, Mekgwa and It ain’t over till its over.
Gabriella Saranouffi is a choreographer, dancer and teacher. She studied in France , Belgium and Senegal . In 1998 she entered and won the Karajia dance festival, and won the most outstanding female performer in 1999-2000. Her work has travelled extensively throughout Madagascar and Moyotte, and she has choreographed for the National Ballet Mahorais.
Inzalo Dance and Theatre Company is a reputable contemporary dance company that has travelled extensively and concerns itself with many community outreach projects. Inzalo implements various educational programmes, such as the Inzalo youth production project, and choreographic workshops. The inception of the company was to create and provide a platform that promotes dance theatre in south Africa .
With support from IFAS, NAC, FNB Dance Umbrella, AFAA
Re: BLAME ME BLIND
Please find information relating to a dance project which is collaboration between Inzalo Dance and Theatre Company, IFAS (Institut Français d’Afrique du Sud) and Vahinala Dance Company from Madagascar . ‘Blame me blind’ is a collaborative Arts and AIDS education dance project. It is an exchange project between South Africa and Madagascar .
PROJECT AIM
The aim of the project is to bring educational information to the people in a new and exciting manner, at a gut-level of human experience. That is, through dance and video footage the audience immediately integrates the information and the irrepressible need for more information (stimulating the desire for self-research) is created. This is a method of bringing information to the people from the people, in a manner that allows them, the actively involved audience to become affected by the information in a way that promotes discussion and enables them, by giving them knowledge, to affect others. These audiences then function as peer educators, who intrinsically understand and can work through and with influential cultural factors, and help promote positive attitudes towards HIV/AIDS infected persons. The project can thus be classified as a living preventative and educative measure.
Consequently the aim can be summarised as questioning and exposing audiences to ideas behind social problems, art and how the two can be integrated
VISION
To create an integrative dance and educational programme that inspires the public, the ordinary people, to actively participate in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
MISSION
A confrontation of dance with images and experiences from South Africa and Madagascar . To enable this, the lifestyle and problems (i.e. HIV/AIDS) of people in South Africa and Madagascar will be researched, video documented and amalgamated with a dance work, based on this research, and performed in South Africa (urban and rural areas of Johannesburg, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern and Western Cape, in schools, theatres and workplaces), France and Madagascar.
The Artists mentioned above will produce a full-length production where workers and students will be able to watch BLAME ME BLIND, the dance/video work. Not only will this experience expand their knowledge, awareness and understanding of HIV/AIDS, but also of the theatre and its possibilities, through using theatrical and electronic mediums to communicate with the public.
COMPANY PROFILE
Inzalo Dance and Theatre Company is a contemporary dance company based in Johannesburg . It is the brainchild of two talented performers and choreographers, Sello Pesa (artistic director) and Moeketsi Koena (director). The inception of the company was to create and provide a platform that promotes dance theatre in South Africa . Pesa has moved on to from his own company and Koena is now responsible for all the dealings of Inzalo Dance and Theatre Company.
Inzalo firmly believes that young South African artists need to be afforded the opportunity of moving beyond their training and work on projects on a long term basis with a core of individuals representing various artistic disciplines. The encouragement of multidisciplinary collaboration is seen as an essential factor in the creative process and critical to the discovery of common links and interests between individuals working within the various artistic disciplines in South Africa .
Inzalo implements various educational programmes, such as the Inzalo youth production, the Dance season with an educational component 2000 project and choreographic workshops which develop dancer’s and choreographers’ artistic skills.
Inzalo will have succeeded when the implementation of its vision of a new-found understanding and appreciation of dance in the contemporary African society becomes a reality, addressing relevant social issues as reflected through dance, and creating a new medium of communication through dance within the African context.
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Jomba! and the CCA Make Space for New Talent
The JOMBA! YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS programme provides a space for five promising young choreographers to present a new work at the JOMBA! festival. With performance grants funded by the Centre for Creative Arts, this Sunday night programme (31 August) will prove to be one of the most exciting and innovative evenings of the festival. This year the recipients are:
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Musa Hlatshwayo
Title: Amashinga
Name(s) of Dancers: Musa Hlatshwayo, S’phelele Nzama, S’fiso Ncgobo, Ntokozo Mthethwa, Super Cele, Mondli Gumede, Mashaya Dambuzo
Music: Amanazareth
About the Work: The word AMASHINGA refers to stick fighters or regiments whose ability in the art is justified as ‘professional’, and whose knowledge in the protocols of the art is justified as ‘expert’. This work aims at presenting a brief socio-historic view of Zulu stick fighting as a supposedly prominent element of puberty rites, by looking at the rituals and social roles of stick fighting during a young Zulu man’s passage to manhood. (Re)presenting the socio-historic view of this art form in a theatrical form, this work re-tells as a threaded point of reference, an event that took place on the 25th December 1877, between Ingobamakhosi and uThulwana (Cetswayo’s regiments), where the protocols of stick fighting were breached just the same way that most AMASHINGA (re)negotiate their identity, i.e. using the sticks as weapons to affirm their identity, and scars as evidence of their victories
About Musa: Musa is a member of the Flatfoot Dance Company, and joined the company in 2000. Here, he received his first training in Contemporary Dance, in the Graham and Hawkins techniques. He has appeared in the majority of the company’s works since 2000. In 2002, Musa was awarded a scholarship to the Copenhagen School of Modern dance, as part of the SHUTTLE exchange program. After his return in the same year, he obtained his BA (Hons) degree in Drama & Performance Studies at the University of Natal . Musa was awarded the 2001/2 FNB Vita Most Promising Contemporary Dancer Award. He was also a recipient of the JOMBA! FNB Vita New Moves Grant in 2002, where he presented his first full-length work, the highly controversial “Abakhwetha: The Initiates”. After its premiere at JOMBA 2002, Musa was invited to present this work at the FNB Vita Dance Umbrella in Johannesburg in March 2003. The work has also been selected for this year’s FIFTH AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN CHOREOGRAPHY COMPETITION, to take place in November 2003. Musa has also performed with Durban ’s Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre, The Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company, Johannesburg ’s Lebohang Dance Theatre, and with Grahamstown’s First Physical Theatre Company.
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Sphelele Nzama
Title: Freestruggle
Name(s) of Dancers: Marise Kyd, Musa Hlatshwayo, Ntokozo Mthethwa, Sifiso Ngcobo, Siyanda Duma
About the Work: This work examines the lifestyle and conditions that township men went through pre-1994. Many had been prepared for a life of armed struggle and violent combat. In the aftermath of the country’s newly found freedom, they felt neglected and started to do things that turned them against their communities. As is most often the case, women and children bear the brunt of this abuse and neglect. Transformation happened politically, but not in the hearts and minds of these men. Labafana basaphila kukotini.
About S’phelele:
S’phelele dances and teaches with Flatfoot Dance Company, under the Artistic Directorship of Lliane Loots. He also initiated, and manages the company’s community dance project Siyagijima Dance Theatre, in KwaMashu. S’phelele began his dance career with Amajika Youth Project in 1994, while attending classes with the UKUSA Community Development Project. He has received training from the likes of, Sello Pesa, Portia Mashingo, Jackie Simela, and with Bopa Dance Forum, Moving into Dance and Inzalo Dance Theatre. He has also on occasion performed as a guest dancer with Durban ’s Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre. For Flatfoot Dance Company , he choreographed “Cokamile : my mother’s name” for the “ Below the surface” season , and performed in Musa Hlatshwayo’s “ Abakhwetha : The Initiates”.
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Neliswa Rushualang
Title: I Mbeko
Name(s) of Dancers: Ntombi Gasa & Eric Shabalala
About the Work: The work deals with mercy. It tells the story of a girl who refuses the call of the ancestors. A dispute arises between her and her father over this issue. The father then has to phehla amagobongo - to ask the ancestors for forgiveness.
About Neliswa :
Neliswa is a founder member of Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre, and received her training with that company. She has performed at a number of festivals, including the FNB Vita Dance Shongololo (1994), the European Youth Arts Dance Festival in Germany (1995), the Face to Face Dance Arts Festival in London (1996). and Jazz at Drew in America (2001). She has also performed with companies including Kafiq, at JOMBA 2000; the Australian company Buzz at the Playhouse Loft in 2002, and Johannesburg’s Moving into Dance, for whom she choreographed and performed ‘Shembe’ for the FNB Vita Dance Umbrella 2003. In 2002, she performed in ‘Out and About’ in France with Anne de Beaufort. For Siwela Sonke, she has appeared in ‘State of Grace ’ and ‘Forked Tongues’, among others, and choreographed ‘Veil’ for their “Edge” season in 2003. Neliswa runs her own pantsula project in Umlazi, which forms part of Siwela Sonke’s community outreach work. In addition, she has taught as a part-time lecturer at the Durban Institute for Technology Drama Department. Neliswa has worked extensively with key dance teachers and choreographers, including Blondell Cumming, Peter Badejo, Jackie Simela, Robyn Orlin, Gary Gordon, Lliane Loots, Suria Govender, David Gouldie and Anne de Beaufort.
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Ignatius van Heerden
Title: Let me walk over you so my feet won’t touch the ground
Name(s) of Dancers: Angela Lardant, Quinton Ribbonaar, Loise Fraquet, Thulebona Mzizi, Ebrahim Medell
Music: Bjork – Like Someone in Love
Qigang Chen – Pudique
Piaf – Mon Dieu
About the Work: The work examines the way in which people walk all over each other, without the other person’s permission. We sell ourselves, and each other, short. We lock ourselves out, we lock others out, but in the end what we all want is what is best for us!
About Ignatius:
Ignatius graduated with a Diploma in Dance from TOM Arts College , Pretoria , in 2002 where he was also awarded Choreographer of the Year 2002. He has worked with choreographers such as Leon Coetzer, Pinto Ferreira, Robyn Orlin, Christopher Kindo and David Gouldie and has worked with Tswane Youth Ballet in Pretoria which is run by Sue Kirkland, Christopher Montague and Tanya Graafland. Ignatius has National Colours in Dance (funk) and was awarded the FNB Vita Award for Most Promising Male Dancer in 2002. Before joining Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company (FFFDC) in 2003, Ignatius choreographed “Watching Birth of Man” for TOM Art College which was performed at FNB Vita Dance Umbrella. He was also one of 10 chosen choreographers for the first Annual Choreographic Residency presented by FNB Dance Umbrella in 2003. He recently choreographed “Plucked from angels' wings” for FFFDC's season CUBED.
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Mlungisi Zondi
Title: Abel & Cain
Choreography: Mlu Zondi, with Tiro Mothlathledi
Name(s) of Dancers: Mlu Zondi, Tiro Mothlathledi
Music: Velma - Parole
About the Work: This work deals with the issue of growing up in two different backgrounds, and the clashes, misunderstandings and arguments that result. It is about survival and competition, and how religion dictates the way we live our lives.
About Mlungisi:
Mlungisi (Mlu) was born and grew up in Clermont Township and started dancing isipantsula at an early age. In 1988 he helped to form a pantsula group that performed in the townships. In 1998 he enrolled at Technikon Natal Drama School , and majored in Dance, Choreography and Acting, performing in numerous productions, and graduating in 2000. The following year Mlu performed a solo on the Jomba Fringe program called ‘sololique-tohubohu’. In 2002 Mlu was invited to spend two months in Switzerland in a choreography residency. While there he was also invited to perform for the South African Ambassador in Switzerland on Heritage day. Mlu also created and performed ‘sololique-rafiki’ at the Lausanne Dance Festival. In 2003 he was invited to attend a 10-day young choreographers residency in Johannesburg during the FNB Vita Dance Umbrella, where he also performed ‘sololique-rafiki’. He has also performed in Siyanda Duma’s ‘Quicksand’, in Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre’s “Edge” season directed by Jay Pather at the Playhouse, and in a soccer-inspired work choreographed by Jay Pather, for the UK&SA Sports Exhibition at the Durban Art Gallery.
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Credits and Sponsors
For JOMBA! 2003:
Artistic Director: Lliane Loots
Manager: Tanya van der Walt
Publicity: Sharlene Versfeld
Poster & Programme Design: Michael McFadyean of SHEER DESIGN
Programme Editorial: Clare Hull, Lliane Loots
For the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (and JOMBA!):
Theatre Manager/JOMBA! Production Manager: Jackie Cunniffe
Technician/Senior Stage Manager: Sue Roberts
Lighting Manager: Michael Broderick
Lighting Technician: Mark Kleinert
Sound Technician: Zara Hardman
Stage Crew: Louise Viljoen, Joseph Thwala, Shannon Nicolas Fanourakis
Front of House Manager: Janet Bayman
Other Venues:
Technicians: Clare Craighead and Wesley Maherry
Special Thanks:
· Adrienne Sichel for her unfailing support and input into JOMBA!.
· Professor Mervyn McMurtry and the Drama and Performance Studies Programme, University of Natal , Durban .
· Iain Robinson for his assistance with the breakdance workshops.
· Storm Janse van Rensburg for the use of the NSA Gallery
SPONSORS:
The Centre for Creative Arts greatly appreciates the wonderful support from the sponsors of the 2003 JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience. Sponsors play a vital role in the preservation of the arts and JOMBA!, particularly, would like to thank all the sponsors not only for their financial support, but also for the belief in the value of the Dance Experience. Our grateful acknowledgements go to the following organisations and institutions who have made JOMBA! 2003 possible:
The National Lottery
The Royal Netherlands Embassy
The National Arts Council of S.A.
Ethekwini Municipality
HIVOS
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland
Embassy of Finland ( S.A. )
The French Institute of S.A. (I.F.A.S.)
University of Natal , Public Affairs Division
NSA Gallery
Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
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