Monday, January 21, 2019

New Year, New You - Time to tune up your groove: Jazzart Dance turns motion into enlivened exercise


 
It’s the New Year and with it, comes new thinking, new promises and a renewed commitment to getting into shape.  However, while New Year resolutions burn brightly at the beginning of the year, it is often hard to stay the course as real life sets in and we find ourselves back into the same old habits of yesteryear. Once sure fire way to maintain the desire to do something about your health and to get into shape and up those fitness levels, that is both fun and stimulating, is dance.  Jazzart Dance in particular.

The Jazzart Dance Company, based in Cape Town, has created a series of exciting public dance classes - for the whole family, all shapes and sizes and fitness levels - to tune up the groove. The award-winning contemporary dance company is on a mission to help South Africans get fit as well as providing a safe space for people to express their inner most emotions – all through movement. 

Dance may be a scary thought for self-doubting beginners, but Jazzart’s welcoming approach to a physical workout provides a safe space for exploration. “When we say we welcome everybody we mean just that” says Ananda Fuchs, Jazzart dance teacher, who together with Sifiso Kweyama, the artistic director has been teaching beginners and those with a bit of experience for some years. Fuchs believes dance to be an incredible discipline that can be learned at any age. “We take it easy (to start with), almost anyone can benefit from one or two classes a week” she adds.


The dance classes are not only about trimming down, it is about changed lives – enhancing health and athleticism while using a rewarding system that satisfies both one’s interior and exterior world.

The professional teachers utilize the fluidity of choreography to enable one to capitalise on beautiful movement, and this focused exercise can “invigorate the dancer’s energies and interrogate their inner connections,” interjects Kweyama.

Male and female school-going dancers, adults and anyone who wants to add the art form to their extracurricular activities are encouraged to join in, as well as those who have been shy about their body shape, fitness level, or co-ordination.


The benefits of Jazzart dance classes include building core strength, firm muscles without bulking up, improve balance and co-ordination, losing centimetres and kilos, stepping out of your comfort zone - learn something new, improved mental health and flexibility, increasing energy levels, meeting new people and expressing yourself like never before – own the moment.

The classes take place at the Jazzart studio RR552 at Artscape on Mondays from 17H30 to 18H45 of beginners, Tuesdays from 17H30 to 18H45 for Intermediate/advanced dancers and Saturdays at 10H00 to 11H00 for kiddies and continues for teens at 11H15 to 13H00.  A class costs R80 per adult and R70 per child. Packages are also available at R350 for five classes, R650 for 10 classes and R720 for Saturday classes per term. To book your lesson email dance@jazzart.co.za or call on (021) 410 9848.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Emerge to Fly with Jazzart Dance Theatre


After two years of training, trainees of the Jazzart Training Programme will have to show their skills in the production, Bhabha, from 17 to 19 July at Artscape Theatre.
 
Bhabha, (meaning, to fly), a new Jazzart work, framed within the themes of democracy and freedom, is choreographed by Moeketsi Koena and directed by Jacki Job.   This production captures the joy, excitement and boldness of this group of dancers and enables them to emerge and fly into independence.  It reflects the beauty of their youth, spirits and limitless potential with ease.
 
The contemporary choreography of Moeketsi Koena, director of Inzalo Dance and Theatre Company (Johannesburg) and associate director for Madagascar International Dance Festival, promises vigorous entertainment that is not to be missed.

The 2014 trainees are Nichellé Linnert, Tamsyn Spannenberg,  Katlego Moncho, Lusanda Dayimani, Lee-Joel James Bosman, Yaseen Manuel, Lusindiso Dibela, Lewellyn Afrika, Nkosinathi Mngomezulu and Nkemiseng Khena.   They will be joined by Amy-Kay Klaasen and Sinazo Bokolo-Bruns.
 
Jazzart, the oldest contemporary dance company in the Cape (if not Africa) celebrates 41 years of existence.  From its inception, Jazzart has welcomed dancers from across the racial spectrum and specializes in contemporary dance, improvisation, gumboot dance, singing, tap dance, voice and physical theatre amongst others.  The Company is grateful for the continued support of the cultural institutions which will enable productions such as Bhabha to be staged.

Bhabha opens at Artscape Theatre on Thursday, 17 July at 20:15 for 4 performances only.  Tickets at R100 per ticket are obtainable from Computicket or Artscape Dial-a-Seat 021-421 7695.  Book 10 tickets or more at R80 per ticket.  Pensioners and students qualify for an R80 ticket.
 
 
Jazzart Dance Theatre
021 410 9848
 
Facebook:Jazzart Dance
 
 
About Jazzart Dance Theatre:
Formed in 1973, Jazzart Dance Theatre is a non-profit organisation and a transformative African dance company at the cutting edge of contemporary dance. Recognised as a leading dance company, Jazzart has a reputation for award winning, innovative and imaginative work.
 
Divided into three components Jazzart Dance Theatre runs a very successful dance Training Programme, life changing Outreach Projects and the heartbeat of the organisation, the Jazzart Performance Company.

Performance Company
 
The heart of any theatrical company is the quality and creativity of its performance.  Jazzart has a history of producing innovative performances that have challenged us to think.
 
The Performance Company, consisting of professional dancers, is the public profile of Jazzart.  They display bold creativity rooted in passion, intelligence, dignity and technical excellence.
 
Jazzart’s creative process is an embodiment of a movement language based on improvisation, a core element of Jazzart’s training methodology.  The incorporation of improvisation generates a dynamic choreographic practice and provides inventive platforms for world class performances that reflect the ever-changing socio-political environment of South Africa and the world.
 
Training Programme
 
The Jazzart Training Programme provides full-time dance theatre training to young adults and is also the philosophical foundation for the Performance Company and the Outreach Programme.
 
Outreach Programme
 
The Outreach Programme provides dance, performance, training and creative interventions to about many young people each year.  These interventions use the arts as an educational tool and enables young people, mainly in historically disadvantaged communities to express their creativity.

Thursday, June 05, 2014

Jazzart Dance Theatre at the Peace Festival in Cape Town Company Gardens on 1 June 2014

 
 

THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE YOUTH GROUP (IPYG) SOUTH AFRICA HOSTED AN INTERANTIONAL LEADERS PEACE FESTIVAL IN THE COMPANY GARDENS ON THE 1 JUNE 2014

The International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) hosted a Peace Walk on 25 May 2013 in Seoul, South Korea, which attracted 27 000 people from across the globe in the hope of achieving world peace and unifying the whole world. In remembrance of the event last year, the IPYG South African Branch, hosted the 1st Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace and the IPYG Peace Walk on Sunday, 1 June 2014 in the Company Gardens.  

The event started with a Commemoration Ceremony where the opening sounds of the trumpet signified the call to unify all religions, races and cultures in the pursuit of peace. A moment of silence for the girls who went missing in Nigeria as well as for the Korean Ferry disaster victims was held. Video clips of various peace activities of the IPYG and the works of Manhee Lee, the Chairman of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) were shown. The clips showed the activities of how Mr Lee travelled around the world to persuade numerous world religious leaders and former presidents to sign the peace agreement and come together for the Declaration of World Peace. Participants were amazed when they watched how Mr Lee achieved the peace agreement between the Catholic Church and Islam in Mindanao Island, Philippines, where more than 100,000 have been killed because of religious conflict.

Speeches from invited guests Insaaf Isaacs (Muslim Students’ Association Representative), Taniya Kleinhans-Cedras (Institute for the Restoration of the Aborigines of South Africa), and Wayde Groep (Student Representative from the University of Stellenbosch) showed how people from different backgrounds can unite under the same banner to promote the achievement of world peace. The lovely Aviva Pelham and Levy Sekgapane warmed the guests’ hearts by singing

The Prayer and the ceremony closed with the IPYG youth choir performing We are the world.

After the commemorative ceremony all the attendees took part in a peace walk commemorating the peace walk which took place in Seoul, Korea on 25 May 2013. During the walk, the Declaration of World Peace was read by IPYG representatives and the walk was done in pursuit of promoting unification for world peace and the cessation of war.

The Peace Festival followed with bead making, biscuit decorating, face painting, hands for peace painting, origami, weaving and peace tree note writing taking place across the different areas. Each activity had a concept relating to the achievement of world peace. One significant activity was the

Peace Tree activity where learners were encouraged to write notes to the families who are victim to the abominable acts of kid-napping in Nigeria. These notes will be delivered to the families through the assistance of the Graca Michel Trust. Throughout the afternoon there were performances by different musicians and dancers, including the Rainbow Academy and Jazzart Dance Theatre.

www.jazzart.co.za

Thursday, September 26, 2013

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) –Swarm
Mishkaah 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.
 
 

 
 
Jazzart Dance Theatre
Tel: +27 21 410 9848
e-mail: dance@jazzart.co.za
Facebook:Jazzart Dance
 

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

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.

Jazzart Dance Theatre
Tel: +27 21 410 9848
e-mail: dance@jazzart.co.za
 
 
Facebook:Jazzart Dance

Monday, July 22, 2013

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
 
 
Facebook: Jazzart Dance
Twitter: @Jazzart_dance

Thursday, September 15, 2011


Jazz Art Dance Presents WAITING FOR RAIN tickets are available at computicket for R100. The dance show begins the 16 September -22 September . Keep posted and be informed on the lifestyle dance installations at selected 5 star venues. Follow us on twitter @ jazzart_dance or on Facebook