WE WILL ZAP YOU

Don t miss out on the new, ’ young festival stars, writes

IT’S been 38 years since the birth of the National Arts Festival, formerly known as the Grahamstown Arts Festival, with this year’s offering taking place from June 28 to July 8.

While regular attendees among the 200 000 arts revellers from here and abroad are inclined to chase after their favourite artists, there are several young artists they should look out for

– in particular, this year’s Standard Bank Young Artists Awards winners.

Afrika Mkhize, this year’s winner in the jazz category, is a pianist whose work ranges from musical direction to composition and arrangement.

Mkhize has worked with the likes of MXO, Sibongile Khumalo and TKZ among others. Jazz purists and easy in-takers alike can look forward to his diverse offerings.

While black opera singers are few and far between, Kelebogile Boikanyo has risen to the occasion to become one of South Africa’s most successful vocalists.

She made her mark singing alongside world-revered songbird Sibongile Khumalo in the production Princess Magogo in 2008 and the rest, as they say, is history.

The astute Princess Zinzi Mhlongo who won the theatre category, took to the stage with confidence and has directed plays such as Zakes Mda’s And the Girls In their Sunday Dresses and Fatima Dike’s So What s New?

The 25-year-old Mhlongo will present her first play, Trapped, at the festival.

Barley Synman, who took the honours in dance, has been recognised for not only his excellence in dance and choreography but also his passion to pass on the baton.

He and his business partner in the Matchbox Theatre Collective, Nicola Haskins, teach dance and movement at schools and universities across the country.

Snyman has performed in productions such as African Footprint and Carmel among others.

Mikhael Subotzky, who holds the visual arts crown, will exhibit his poignant images in an exhibition titled Retinal Shift, that

“extends the motif of looking while not seeing”.

Subotzky will also collaborate with Athi Patra Ruga in a performance piece.

For more information log on to www.nationalartsfestival.co.za

tlhoaeleb@sundayworld.co.za