(Pic: Durban Dance Awards 2009 nominees. Back: Mdu Mtshali; Musa Hlatshwayo, Thobani Mbhele, Mxolisi Nkomonde, Vusi Makanya, Jabu Siphika, Nkanyiso Kunene, Lerato Mafatle and Sifiso Khumalo. Front: Mthokozisi Masango, Tumelo Khoza, S’fiso Ndlovu and Sazi Buthelezi)Durban dance community honours the creativity and dedication of its stars.
The Durban dance community honoured the creativity and dedication of its stars at the Durban Dance Awards at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on October 4. Presented by KZN DanceLink, with support from the National Arts Council, the awards salute the achievements of dancers and choreographers in the last year.
KZN DanceLink chairman Lynn Maree said while 2009 had perhaps been low key, the standard of dance in the city proved that there was: “extraordinary talent bubbling close to the ground all around us”. She continued: “Sometimes there are years of major achievements, sometimes startling new stars appears and sometimes quiet developments and risk-taking and consolidation take place.”
She added that 2009 was perhaps low-key and the judges reserved the right to make no awards, but she gave special mention to the standard of dance seen from DUT students in Rejected Angels; the enthusiasm and focus of the young people in Giyani Lusha 2009 and Vusi Makanya’s Feel It! Live It! Dance It! plus the experiments and collaborations and the work brought from Reunion in Jomba!
The awards were presented after the final performance of the Flatfoot Dance Company’s Bloodlines – the premier of two groundbreaking dance works by David Gouldie and Lliane Loots.
Nominees for Choreographer were Neli Rushualang: The Human Ladder; Musa Hlatshwayo for Moses, Giyani Lusha and Amens!; Vusi Makanya for Feel It! Live It! Dance It!; Mdu Mtshali for A bird without song; Sifiso Majola for The end is beginning, and Sifiso Khumalo for Harsh, harsh, my soul. The coveted award for Choreographer of the Year went to Musa Hlatshwayo for Moses, Giyani Lusha 2009 and Amens!
The award for Costume Design was jointly awarded to all four nominees: Musa Hlatshwayo (Amens!), Sifiso Khumalo (Harsh, harsh my soul), Sifiso Majola (The end is beginning) and Mdu Mtshali (A bird without song).
No awards were made in the categories of Dancer of the Year or Breakthrough/Newcomer of the Year. Nominees for Dancer included Mxolisi Nkomonde and Nkanyiso Kunene, both for The Human Ladder and Jabu Siphika for Chasing Tales.
Nominees for Newcomer were Siphiwe Kunene and Noxolo Rushualang of Cato Manor Vibe!!! (Giyani Lusha); KwaMashu School of Dance dancer Mthokozisi Masango (Feel It! Live It! Dance It!) and S’fiso Ndlovu, Thobani Mbhele, Lerato Mafatle and Sazi Buthelezi, as well as Tumelo Khoza, DUT students who danced in Rejected Angels.
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