Two
works on opening night give a taste of what is to come. (Review by Caroline
Smart)
Presented by The Centre for Creative Arts
and the College of Humanities of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the 17th
annual JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience opened last night with two
excellent works from West Africa giving a taste of what is to come for the rest
of the festival. All
credit to the JOMBA! team for bringing top quality local and international contemporary
dance together for a feast of artistic achievement.
Both superbly lit, the two works - City of God, City of Man and Le Cargo - represent JOMBA!’s aim to honour the African continent and to continue to make
artistic connection with the rest of Africa.
Making its world premiere at JOMBA!, City of God, City of Man is choreographed
and performed by Adedayo Liadi and Qudus Onikekeu. Both powerfully built but
capable of the most sensitive nuance, the dancers present a rivetting and
highly dramatic performance in a piece that focuses on the “here and now”,
refusing to allow the past to overwhelm the present.
The second piece of the evening, Faustin Linyekula’s internationally-acclaimed
solo work Le Cargo, changes the mood
to reflection dealing with memories that can be both painful and soulful. Linyekula
is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo and this is his third visit to JOMBA!.
Introducing himself as a storyteller, he poses the compelling question – “Have
I Danced? ... And if I have, has it made any difference?”
Also appearing on the festival will be the Dutch
company, INTRODANS, which will offer a stellar programme titled JOY4DANCE of dance works from their
award-winning repertoire. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Siwela
Sonke Dance Theatre will present their most recent work, the controversial rite, which is directed and conceptualised by Jay Pather and choreographed jointly
by him and the full cast.
Representing the long-term dance
collaboration between Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre (Chicago, USA) and Durban’s Flatfoot
Dance Company, JOMBA! features dance work by Chicago’s Kevin Iega Jeff, Nicole
Clarke Springer, Anthony Marshall, Gary Abbot and Durban’s Lliane Loots.
JOMBA! hosts its usual platforms of the
Fringe (September 1) and the Youth Fringe (August 30), the latter taking place
at the Pieter Scholtz Open Air Theatre at UKZN (entrance is free). There is
also a full programme of workshops and master classes by all of the
participating dancers and choreographers. For more information visit the JOMBA
page on www.cca.ukzn.ac.za
JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience runs until
September 6 at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre at 19h30, except on September 2
when the performance takes place at artSPACE Durban at 18h30. Tickets R60 (R45
scholars/students/pensioners) booked through Computicket (or at venue from one
hour before).
JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience is
organised by the Centre for Creative Arts (UKZN) with valuable support from the
eThekwini Municipality. – Caroline Smart
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