(Julia Wilson & Tshediso Kabulu)
World
premiere of two new dance theatre works celebrates Flatfoot’s 10th
anniversary year. (Review by Mary-Ann Salvage)
Flatfoot
Dance Company celebrates its 10th anniversary year with a special season of
dance theatre at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
Titled Last Thoughts, it offers the world
premiere of two new dance theatre works made for the six resident Flatfoot
dancers: Sifiso Khumalo, Tshediso Kabulu, Sifiso Majola, Jabu Siphika, Julia
Wilson and Thobi Maphanga.
The two
works are Ngichaze/Define Me, a
poetic and lyrical work created by guest choreographer Sifiso Kweyama, and Last Thoughts, Loots’s newest dance
theatre collaboration with spoken word poet Ian ewok Robinson.
During
Lliane Loots’s opening speech, she acknowledged the many people who have
journeyed with her on her path to lead Flatfoot to where it is today. She also
mentioned about being on the “edge of a collective grave” with funding
challenges and paid tribute to current funding partners NCP Alcohols, Seafrog
Communication and Sibaya. “We are not short of artists in this country, we are
short of places to work”. She saluted the many dancers for sweating blood for
their art.
The
first work on the programme Ngichaze/Define
Me created by guest choreographer Sifiso Kweyama was a well-choreographed
piece which challenged the dancers. He used varied pieces of music and I
particularly enjoyed watching the commitment and intensity displayed by the
dancers. Interesting use of lighting allowed larger than life shadows on the
black traverse which almost dwarfed the dancers without distracting from their
dancing.
Lliane
Loot’s piece, Last Thoughts, was for
me a collage of memorable pieces that have been choreographed over the years
with - and for - the dancers. Almost a trip down memory lane exploring
personal, political and social issues. The video footage in the beginning of
the piece initially gave me a sense of hope, speaking of love, but this was soon
overshadowed by the repetitive and constant questioning of Robinson’s poetry. I
felt it often stopped the flow of movement instead of enhancing it.
Puzzling
too was the graffiti on the cyc, starting in black and white and progressing to
colour. More upbeat was the introduction of two break-dancers, Preston ‘Kayzo’
Kid and Byrone ‘Bizzo’ Tifflin who generated an exhilarating energy to the work
and received much accolade from the audience. Loots managed to successfully
combine a variety of layered creative dance theatre.
In the end you have nothing but your
thoughts... I think you could also say there was a compelling spirituality
about the end of Last Thoughts.
Flatfoot’s
10th anniversary season, Last Thoughts
has its final two performances tonight (March 16) at The Elizabeth Sneddon
Theatre at 19h30 and tomorrow (March 17) at 15h00. Tickets R80 (R60
pensioners/students) booked through Computicket. The show’s duration is 1hr 50mins
including an interval.
The
opening night’s gala fundraiser supported the dance education and development
work being done by Flatfoot in Umlazi, KwaMashu, Newlands East, and Tugela
Mouth. – Mary-Ann Salvage
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