Top Dance Talents at the Baxter Dance Festival

Dance lovers are in for a treat this year when the annual Baxter Dance Festival kicks off with a jam-packed line-up of the mother city’s top dance talents at the Baxter Theatre from 3 to 12 October 2013.

Jazzart Dance Theatre will feature 'Unlimited' directed and choreographed by Mziyanda Mancam on 3 and 4 October with 'Seya' directed and choreographed by Jacqueline Manyaapelo on 9 and 10 October.

 

Unlimited, choreographed by Mziyanda Mancam, looks at a dancer’s intentions of connecting the internal with the external, and how gestures can be used as a means of expressing intention of the body and not limiting the conditions of the body. The piece explores the constant shifts and changes that happen both within and outside the body.

 

Seya, meaning joy, is inspired by the title track of Malian singer, Oumou Sangare’s, album. The piece is performed by the Jazzart female cast and explores ways of honouring women through understanding, healing, joy, celebration and deeper understanding of self. The piece speaks of individuality and of being grounded in an ever-changing world.

About The Baxter Dance Festival

Now in its ninth year the popular festival is widely regarded as Cape Town’s premier dance platform with over 300 dancers taking to the stage and nearly 50 choreographers showcasing their work. The festival has grown exponentially and has become one of the “must-see activities” on Cape Town’s events calendar.

This year well over 50 entries can be seen, ranging in style from contemporary to neo-classical, flamenco, fusion, physical theatre, modern, African, jazz, and hip hop dancing.

The Main Programme runs every night at 20:00 from 3 to 12 October and is made up of various works of different lengths and features work by established professional companies and that of invited choreographers or companies.

2013

Main Programme

Time: 20:00

 

Thursday, 3 October and Friday, 4 October

Abeedah Medell (EOAN Group Theatre Company)– When we fall *Contains nudity*
Bradley Shelver (Cape Dance Company) –Scenes (extract)
Alfred Hinkel & John Linden (Garage) – Blood of the Young
Mziyanda Mancam (Jazzart Dance Theatre) –Unlimited
Joshus Beamish – Pierced

Monday, 7 October and Tuesday, 8 October
Brigitte Reeve Taylor (BDRC) – Greyscale
Mzokuthula Gasa (Sibonelo Dance Project) –Ubunye – Inspired by Africa
Louise Coetzer (Darkroom Contemporary) –SwarmMishkaah Medell (Eoan Group Theatre Company) – Re(verse)

Wednesday, 9 October and Thursday, 10 October
Mavis Becker (Theatro Flamenco Wilvan & La Rosa Dancers) – The Soul Lives
Grant van Ster (Cape Acedemy of Performing Arts) – Perfect sense
Jacqueline Manyaapelo (Jazzart Dance Theatre) – Seya
Gabriella Bishop (Yellow Glove Collective) – #barelybreathing
Sbonakaliso Ndaba, Grant van Ster & Shaun Oelf (Freelance) - We came , we saw , we conquered

Friday, 11 October and Saturday, 12 October (FINAL)
Luyanda Sidiya (Vuyani Dance Theatre) –Makwande
Ina Wichterich & Shaun Oelf  – You are Beautiful
Ebrahim Medell (EOAN Group Theatre Company) – Shifting Dependencies
Anani Dodji Sanouvi – Mandinga

Off Main Programme
Time: 17:00
Saturday, 5 October will showcase young emerging choreographers and student work.

The Fringe Programme
Time: 17:00

Saturday, 12 October will include work by youth groups, dance studios, school groups, traditional African dance groups and choreographers who have requested that their work run on this programme for practical reasons. It usually features great options for younger dancers and kids, offering variety for the whole family.

 

Source: www.baxter.co.za

 

 

 

Jazzart Dance Theatre

Tel: +27 21 410 9848

e-mail: dance@jazzart.co.za

www.jazzart.co.za

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Do a little dance...

Annamaria Klucevsek, an American from Plymouth, Massachusetts was enrolled in an independent study for college credit where she travelled alone to South Africa to study global dance and education with Jazzart Dance Theatre at Artscape, Cape Town. She was welcomed by Eltena Rethman, who is the fundraising manager of Jazzart and who took her under her wings during her time here.

She learnt the routine for Seya 'meaning joy' in the annual dance performance called Azishe! in the beginning of July. She certainly gave it her all. "Azishe" to her was a totally different dance style from what she had been training for during the past four years. The technique captured the grounded-ness and effortless fluidity of the intended choreography. She managed to learn the piece in just under a week. She felt honoured and blessed to have the opportunity to share the stage with such incredibly talented dancers and beautiful people.

In her time here, she learnt that dance is a universal language that we all speak no matter where in the world we live. Our differences are what makes us unique. "You will never dance like anybody else, no matter how hard you try. You can try to look the same as someone else, but the way in which you tell your story though dance, will never be found in someone other than you."

 

On one particular day, the Jazzart Outreach Coordinator, Mziyanda Mancam took her along to teach a handful of dance classes to a community outside of Cape Town. She was privileged to work with children ages 8-14 from a variety of backgrounds. The children are not all fortunate to have supportive families or stable health so they look forward to days when they can use the arts as an expressive outlet. These amazing children have inspired her to keep doing what she is doing and to never give up no matter what.

View her blog on: http://www.doalittledancesouthafrica.blogspot.com/

Jazzart Dance Theatre

Tel: +27 21 410 9848

e-mail: dance@jazzart.co.za

www.jazzart.co.za

 

 

Facebook:Jazzart Dance

Twitter:@Jazzart_dance

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Azishe! 2013

Jazzart Dance Theatre Presented Azishe! an explosive celebration of dance from across the country from the 4 – 7 July 2013. 

Translated from isiZulu, azishe means “let it burn” comes from the energy, passion and hunger to succeed that its participants have brought to Jazzart Dance Theatre’s, Azishe!, festival stage since 1999.

The annual dance festival provides a professional performance platform for young people to grow professionally from the opportunity to perform, under the guidance of accomplished professional choreographers and teachers, in a fully‐equipped theatre and to develop their creative and performance skills.

This year was a celebration of the various participants’ journeys, expressed through their inspiring different styles of dance. Azishe! provides a platform for professional dancers to share their work, while also nurturing emerging companies and creating space for community initiatives that build skills, confidence and empowerment.

The following groups performed fine examples of the way dance is moving and expressing new ideas.

 

 

Afrika Tikkun - Iqala Ngam 'We just wanna be Children'

 

 

Choreography: Fazeka Paul

The name Iqala Ngam which means “For change to take place it must start with me”. The motivation is for young girls to enjoy their lives and learn to survive within their circumstances. By knowing that their future only depends on them, by making the right choices now.

 

 

 

Jazzart Dance Theatre Outreach - Umlando

 

Choreography: Aphiwe Live and Wendy Thoane

This work was performed for the first time by two of the groups from Jazzart’s Outreach programme: Future Line Academy and Gijima Creative Arts respectively. Umlando takes the premise that each individual can only understand their own journey.

 

 

Dreamfinders - Life Architecture

 

 

Choreography: Mlekeleli Khuzwayo

Dreamfinders, from Kwa-Zulu Natal, performed Life Architecture, exploring the journey of our daily lives, from the highs and hot summer days, to the lows and cold winter nights, the road is never-ending as each day a new adventure unfolds. Shaking hands with the sad and merry, their passion for life which was once raw is now confined within the Almighty's law.

 

 

Jazzart Dance Theatre - Seya

 

 

Choreography: Jacqueline Manyaapelo

Rehearsal Director: Rozendra Newman

Seya, meaning joy, was inspired by the title track of Malian singer, Oumou Sangare’s, album. The piece was performed by the Jazzart female cast and explores ways of honouring women through understanding, healing, joy, celebration and deeper understanding of self. The piece speaks of individuality and of being grounded in an ever-changing world.

 

 

Jazzart Dance Theatre - You Are Beautiful

 

 

Choreography: Ina Wichterich-Mogane

Shaun Oelf, performed a solo called You Are Beautiful choreographed by Ina Wichterich-Mogane. He explored how we perceive our own reflection which is not always the image that other people see. To become a symbol of change, one must truly believe that we are beautiful.

 

Daveyton Arts Foundation - Elbeko

 

 

Choreography: Linda Lee Mhlongo

Elbeko by the Daveyton Arts Foundation in Gauteng combined dance with poetry, song and music to capture themes encompassing love, uncertainty, celebration and unity in diversity.

 

Jazzart Dance Theatre - Unlimited

 

 

Choreography: Mziyanda Mancam and Christopher Kindo

Unlimited, choreographed by Mziyanda Mancam, looked at a dancer’s intentions of connecting the internal with the external, and how gestures can be used as a means of expressing intention of the body and not limiting the conditions of the body. The piece explored the constant shifts and changes that happen both within and outside the body.

Jazzart Dance Theatre thanks the collaborators for their contribution to Azishe! 2013. We look forward to next years 'production and welcome you to see this amazing piece of art.

Jazzart Dance Theatre

Tel: +27 21 410 9848

e-mail: dance@jazzart.co.za

www.jazzart.co.za

 

 

Facebook: Jazzart Dance

Twitter: @Jazzart_dance

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