Jomba! brings a world of wonderful dance to Durban
THE annual Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience has named its international guests for this year’s festival, which takes place in various venues around Durban, from August 23 to September 3.
The festival features some of the world’s most innovative dance theatre work from South Africa, Africa and abroad. International companies include Germany’s steptext dance projects, Benin dancer and choreographer Marcel Gbeffa and Introdans, from the Netherlands, who will also perform at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town in September, following their Jomba! season.
The festival opens with an international partnership, with the Johannesburg-based Vuyani Dance Theatre and Germany’s steptext dance projects. Choreographers Gregory Maqoma and Helge Letonja join forces to create Out of Joint. Six dancers meet in a furious game of difference, where the dance is a physical co-existence.
Benin dancer and choreographer Marcel Gbeffa makes his first trip to South Africa to perform his acclaimed solo work, Et Si ... He uses a repetition of animal movements, adapted to his dancing body. It is a bold and masculine work.
Gbeffa will also be conducting the annual festival residency with five KZN dancers: Bonwa Mbontsi, Tegan Peacock, Steven Banzoulu, Sibonelo “China” Mchunu, and Kim McCusker-Bartlett. Dutch favourites Introdans join Jomba! for the third time, offering three works from their award-winning repertoire. Considered one of Europe’s leading touring companies, Introdans works in a neo-classical ballet idiom that will delight ballet and contemporary dance lovers.
They have titled their Jomba! 2017 programme Wonderland, which features works by choreographers Hans van Manen, Ton Wiggers, Cayetano Soto and Alvin Ailey’s new artistic director, Robert Battle. Their work is witty, technically supreme and full of beauty.
Introdans collaborates with Durban’s Flatfoot Dance Company in a special work that premieres at the festival, Cardiac Output.
The festival hoststhe Fringe (August 29), with 10 new works and the Youth Fringe (August 27), and a full programme of workshops and master classes.
It takes place at the Pieter Scholtz Open Air Theatre on August 27 at 2.30pm (free), KZNSA Gallery on August 28 from 6pm (R50) and the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on all other days, with tickets on sale at Computicket or one hour before the performance (R60 or R45 for scholars, students and pensioners).
See www.cca. ukzn.ac.za and go to the Jomba! page.