MOVEMENT LAB PHASE I

Dance Classes at Stable Theatre.

Mhayise Productions in partnership with Stable Theatre will present dance/movement classes every Saturday at Stable Theatre starting from April 2 from 10h00 to 15h00. These classes mark the rebirth of one of Durban’s most formidable dance development projects previously known as Cato Manor Vibe!! and also marks phase I of a pilot project entitled The Movement Laboratory.

The Movement Laboratory is an initiative directed by Musa Hlatshwayo that seeks to create a platform for Durban-based artists working in the medium of movement wherein they can share and exchange ideas, train and enhance their skills, create and stage work in a creative laboratory ‘peer mentorship’ setting. Phase 1 consists of open Saturday classes that will be open to everyone who wants to explore their creative movement ability or enhance their technique.

The first class of the day will see Musa Hlatshwayo conducting a movement technique class in African Contemporary style with an adaptation of African Dance, Graham, Hawkins and Release Technique. This class will be from 10h00 to 12h00 every Saturday. This class is ideal for dancers in training, professional dancers and the general public with interest in generating or enhancing their movement ability for artistic and or health/fitness purposes. This class is recommended for people older than 13 years of age.

The second class will be presented by a local guest dance teacher/choreographer specializing in a style that will be explored during that specific month. Invited choreographers will be allocated a month’s residency consisting of 4/5 consecutive Saturdays. This class will take the shape of a choreographic workshop aimed at introducing the participants to the working methodology of the choreographer; his or her style, genre, some repertoire, the language, his or her approach to choreography and his or her artistic philosophy. During the last Saturday the choreographers will be required to present an in-house showcasing of the work covered to the public and the resident artists of Stable Theatre. This class will be from 12h30 to 14h30 every Saturday. Only invited choreographers will be allowed to facilitate these classes. This class is recommended for the age group older than 14 years of age.

Both these classes will be held at Stable Theatre on 115 Johannes Nkosi Street (formerly known as Alice Street) in town, opposite the Durban Municipality Bus depot. These classes are a training pilot towards the creation of a site-specific dance theatre work that will be devised by Musa Hlatshwayo for Stable Theatre’s Women’s Month in August. Only the participants within the Lab will be allocated roles in the production. The aim behind this production will be providing a performance opportunity for the participants and will therefore be part of the project’s experiential learning. No participant will be paid for partaking in this production. Other performance opportunities will be created during the course of the project. All classes are free of charge.

Participants are required to wear clothing that encourages free movement of the body e.g. t-shirts, leggings, track pants etc. No jeans, restrictive and heavily accessorized clothing and jewellery will be allowed. A juice bottle and a face towel in a bag and clothes to change into are highly recommended. No prior technical training is required but exposure to different artistic work will be of added advantage.

Those interested in finding out more about these classes should contact the project’s coordinator Bonang Shuping at Stable Theatre on 031 309 2513. They can also reach her via email: stabletheatre@telkomsa.net or send a request to join The Movement Laboratory and Mhayise Productions on Facebook for frequent updates, news, auditions and announcements.