(Zinhle Gumede. Pic by Val Adamson)
Jay Pather, Artistic
Director of Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre, pays tribute to the late Zinhle Gumede.
“I am shocked by the untimely death of the wonderful Zinhle,
not only a great artist but a beautiful person.
Zinhle Gumede was a dancer, choreographer and a teacher par
excellence. The words talented and committed are overused so they do not do
enough justice to Zinhle. Yet she epitomized a natural and great talent for
dance and choreography and was committed to its development within herself and
others.
Zinhle was a committed professional from the day I first met
her as a trainee in the Siwela Sonke programme in 1994. I was astounded by the
professionalism, dedication and sheer talent, which exploded out of her tiny
frame.
In performance, that tiny frame belied a fiery spirit that
flew way beyond the footlights of the largest theatres and touched audiences
all over the world. She was consistently passionate, uncompromising of
standards despite the difficult contexts she worked in and aspired to be and
produce the best.
That she has left us leaves a hole in our hearts because she
was so lovable and friendly and kind. More than this, though, she leaves a hole
in a dance world that continues to struggle to survive. She brought the
essential ingredients to take this art form far in the KwaZulu Natal region and
the country and offer something of great value to the world.
We will miss her terribly but we hope that the force of her
talent will reverberate for years to come so that future generations may get a
glimpse of this extraordinary artist. – Jay Pather
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