Triple treat in store at night of poetry, dance and drama
PORT Elizabeth lovers of the arts are in for a triple treat tonight as the Swallows Foundation SA hosts a night of poetry, dance and drama at the Athenaeum.
The eight-year-old foundation, also known as Isisseko Senkonjane, works as an arts and culture development agency that seeks to educate and inspire change through the use of culture and creative arts.
To fulfil its mission, the foundation introduced the Siyabalisa Performing Arts Project through which Eastern Cape artists Lelethu Mahambehlala, Olwethu Mdala, Asanda Hanabe and Botlenyane Moleko facilitated arts workshops earlier this year.
“The [name] ‘Siyabalisa’ means ‘We Tell Stories’ and therefore we encouraged our participants to continuously tell stories. Through the stories told there was no dry eye in all the sessions due to laughter or to high emotions at any given moment,” Bay poet Mahambehlala said.
The workshops held in Cradock, Uitenhage and Sterkspruit gave arts enthusiasts an opportunity to create poetry, drama and dance productions from scratch, with the help of the four artists over three weeks.
The final products of the productions from all three towns will be showcased at the Siyabalisa Creative Arts Showcase at the Athenaeum tonight while guests unwind over wine and network.
Uitenhage’s Olwethu Mxoli, who will be performing a poetry piece, said she was both nervous and excited about the event and hopes that more similar events will follow.
“I’m hoping this is a door to larger opportunities for all of us because we all put in a lot of work to make this the success I know it’s going to be.
“The experience (acquired through the workshops) builds you in how you carry yourself as a person in the presence of other people because being on stage is one of the scariest things, so to be able to own the stage and your story also grows the audience.” she said.
The drama Veeplaas, directed by Xabiso Zweni, will be performed at the showcase which starts at 5 for 5.30pm.
Free tickets are available from the Athenaeum in Athol Fugard Road (former Belmont Terrace) in Central. For more information, contact Gcobani Poltini on 072-490-1220 or 060-921-8443.