(Pic by Val Adamson: Nobuhle Khawula and Sifiso Khumalo)Flatfoot Dance Company, in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal's College of Humanities and its Centenary Celebrations of Academia in KZN, presents Talking Spirits. This is a summer season that offers three invited guest choreographers - Sifiso Majola (Durban), Jürg Koch (USA) and Sifiso Kweyama (Gauteng) - the opportunity to make three new dance theatre works with the seven highly-skilled Flatfoot dancers: Nobuhle Khawula, Sifiso Kitsona Khumalo, Vusi Makanya, S’fiso Magesh Ngcobo, Thobeka Quvane, Jabu Siphika and Mlondi Zondi.
Sifiso Majola’s Akundlela Engayi Ekhaya meaning “it’s not a way if it’s not going home” features the strong pairing of Nobuhle Khawula and Vusi Makanya. At many intervals throughout the work, the lighting illuminates an “X” on the floor of the stage – a crossroads, a “no”, an “x marks the spot”? – you decide, this is contemporary dance, after all. He’s trying to follow a journey, curiously carrying a suitcase of shoes, and she won’t let him. With determination, she constantly distracts him - bending her body close to his, getting in his way, always beside him. She pulls off his jacket and puts it on herself, creating a corporate businesswoman power image, an illusion he firmly eliminates at the end. Akundlela Engayi Ekhaya was initially commissioned by the FNB Dance Umbrella in 2009 and Durban audiences are fortunate to see the work back on home turf.
Jürg Koch has travelled from Seattle in the United States to work with Flatfoot Dance Company and has spent the last five weeks creating a fascinating work called meanwhile which features the full company and offers a world premier for Flatfoot. The innovative use of transistor radios offers a changing soundtrack, with something different happening each night. The programme notes describe the piece as being about “simultaneity and place – about the order, duration and tempo of events and interactions happening in different spaces but at the same time” on the belief that all human relations are constantly marked by contrasting states of co-existence, conflict and connection.” With the much-vaunted World Cup season ahead of us, I couldn’t but place a parallel between this dance piece and the soccer event. While this may be miles away from the choreographer’s idea, it resonates with the fact that millions in different geographical areas will be tuned to radios (or TV’s) to catch something in which the process is the same but the dynamics are different – same show, different cast, different theatre, as it were.
The dancers gave a highly focused performance (the knee-pads adding to the soccer feel!) with much overt emphasis on team work, meanwhile was very well received and deservedly so.
The full company appeared again in circle by Sifiso E Kweyama and this was undoubtedly the audience highlight of the evening. It is the kind of work that Flatfoot does so well, marrying the traditional to the contemporary – in this case, around the legacy of story-telling. It has a delightful opening with S’fiso Magesh Ngcobo (he of the million-dollar smile) and Vusi Makanya engaging in some inter-active dialogue which proved that they have strong dramatic skills as well. The dancers become alternatively audience members and performers as they tell their stories and there are some beautiful sequences.
Performances of Talking Spirits run at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre until March 17 to 20 at 19h30 and on March 21 at 15h00. Tickets: R65 (R50 student, OAP, and scholars) March 18 is “Cheap Thursday” where all tickets are R45! The production then moves to Pietermaritzburg to present two performances at the Hexagon Theatre on the UKZN campus on March 25 and 26 at 19h00. Tickets R55 (R40 concession for student, OAP, and scholars) Booking for both seasons is at Computicket. If you like contemporary dance, catch it if you can! – Caroline Smart
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