What are you doing to help your child?

“There is a culture of violence in South Africa.” My ears pricked up as I tuned in half way through a Third Degree Plus episode presented by Debora Patta on etv recently.
Violence is a familiar theme on the show. It has featured criminals who become repeat offenders; protests over service delivery in the townships; xenophobic attacks that threaten free trade in the townships; missing and murdered children - the perpetrators are often never found… “A child goes missing every six hours in South Africa. The Western Cape bears the heaviest mantle of shame – it’s where almost half the missing children are from,” states a press release. “Is South Africa failing its children?”
Patta was interviewing a young professor (I didn’t catch his name) who was talking about fractured families … children watching their parents or guardians deal with issues through violence … non-communication … They are also influenced by their peers and the media − violence on TV, in cartoons (Tom & Jerry is a favourite example) and shows like WWF where viewers are warned not to try what they’re doing at home.
He said that bullying among females is increasing right now and to watch out for blue marks or bruises as a sign that a child could be being bullied at school. He encourages parents and teachers to form committees to investigate and stop such incidents but warned that some schools prefer to keep quiet about it. The same goes for people wanting to introduce drug projects at schools – some principals block them because they believe their school does not have a drug problem.
The professor said the constitution protects the child but that parents need to be involved. He said self-esteem was a big thing and a ‘cowboys don’t cry’ culture could hamper progress.
What are you doing to help your child? – Debbie Hathway

Overcome …

As someone who has never experienced much violence in her life, I find it very difficult to have an opinion on the subject. I can say, however, that I shy away in the face of it and would rather run or hide in a cupboard as opposed to confronting it.
Whether this is the better reaction to have towards violence is debatable in my opinion ...
On the one hand, running and hiding may be considered cowardly and weak but it also, very simply, does not entail creating more acts of violence. On the other, without necessarily reacting violently, by not facing up to it and dealing with this issue, how do we as communities and a human race overcome these cruel acts of hatred? − Leilah Kirsten, Jazzart trainee

Humans’ perception of violence

By Luke de Kock – Jazzart trainee

Violence is nerve-wracking and dangerous, and violence is so strong that people fear what could possibly happen to them if they are victimised by violence.
Violence is evil and dominantly physical. Violence is caused by alcohol, drugs, gangsterism, and the dysfunction of societies.
− 80-year-old woman

Geweld is iets wat niemand is; so gevaarlik dit mag ’n klein argument wees maar dit kan na n’ bloedbad toe lei.
Geweld maak ook dat die gemeenskap in paniek gevangeraak.
Geweld is ooral: op die televisie, in die koerant, jy sien dit waar jy stap, op die skole en universiteit, en in jou huis.
− 46-jarige vrou

Violence is an act of emotion, usually anger. It is a way of expressing emotion that is often uncontrollable and sometimes people do it for no reason or to get approval from peers. Innocent people get hurt unnecessarily by people acting violently.
Violence is blood, dirty, weapons, fire, drugs, and music…
− 13-year-old boy

The danger of narratives of hate

Narratives passed down verbally as well as emotionally and genetically – transgenerational violence.

I have to pass you my narrative
I’m sorry that it is one of shame
It was passed to me by my father
And before that by his father to him

You can wear it quietly
You can hide it somewhere on your person
You can try to peel it from your skin like an orange
But it will be there and it will be told

It is not yours, but it will become you
It is hungry and it will eat you
And it will kill you
As it has done me
As it has ... done me

How do they do it?

They come to Jazzart to learn. They leave as professional dancers ... actors ... athletes ... and so much more. What really sets them apart?

Rehearsal preview

"I'm sure if Lara wasn't working with Jazzart, she wouldn't be doing this right now." Alfred Hinkel addressing a preview audience in the company's rehearsal studios. "The production's at a very delicate point ... by no means finished ... We still have (a few days) in this space; and 1 week on stage." He introduces the main players:

Lara, director.
Neo, composer. "If you can sing, he will be your friend. If you can't, he won't be your friend," says Alfred.
Craig, set designer. A cathedral with a 2-metre ramp on one side. A platform to perch Neo and some band members. Another ramp that ends mid-air, incomplete. Gothic arches, some broken. Looks like it was bombed in WWII. In the background, a Coca-Cola billboard. "The Coca-Cola generation drives me mad ... American multicorporations watched Africans sell their souls," says Craig.
Asanda, Lara's assistant.
Prosper, from Zimbabwe, assistant stage manager. "If he smiles, you can see him," says Alfred.
Benny, lighting.
Tony, sound.
John, Sbo, Ina, Jackie, Ananda; the raft of choreographers.

We can feel the floorboards move underfoot as dancers thunder through some aggressive gangsta sequences. Bodies shrink backwards as this time it looks like they're sure to land on our laps. Dancers hurl themselves at a net strung from the ceiling. Fearless. Up and over; under. Crossing borders. We cringe as we wonder if, when Refiloe somersaults in that net being held taut by the entire company, she'll land safely. It's so intense we leave with headaches, feeling drained, emotional, speechless, awestruck.

"It's going to look stunning on stage ... one of the best of recent times." - Gregg
"It's nice to see so much masculine energy for a change." - Owen
"I didn't like the whities. What are they doing there?" - Glenda
"See you at the opening!" - Mandy

The war inside

PARTLY GOD is an emotional rollercoaster that follows a young man’s (Douglas Griffiths') search for his father (John Linden) and his journey toward redemption. On the way, he encounters a boy soldier whose wisdom helps him find healing within himself.
Award-winning actor and performance artist Chuma Sopotela gives an unforgettable performance as the boy soldier. She concedes that the role was a challenge. “A boy soldier? Where do I begin?
“For me, I’m not trying to play a soldier … I’m playing what I understand about what it would feel like to be a child forced to carry a gun," she says.
“I think about the soldiers in my own community … in Khayelitsha … There was a young boy, about 16 years old, who had an argument with his mother. He took a friend of mine’s car and was supposed to go and park it but he took it on a joyride instead. When we told him that was wrong, he responded in a violent way. We tried to reason with him but he wouldn’t listen.
“He’s a soldier in a way … fighting a war inside himself.
“We all have problems in our lives but it’s inhuman for him to react like that.” – by DEBBIE HATHWAY