I salute this dance work with a raised fist
as we are reminded of our history and the new struggles that we are yet to
face. (Review by Verne Rowin Munsamy)
Pages of history written on the flesh...
We
Are Still Marching is the critically acclaimed
dance work choreographed by Sunnyboy Motau of Moving into Dance Mophatong
(MIDM). It features the dancers from two award-winning dance companies: the
Playhouse Dance Residency and MIDM.
It is no wonder that this dance work is
back by popular demand. Laden with apartheid nostalgia and references we are
immersed into this story from the onset. Soldiers with torches jar audiences’
senses with flashes of light and political jargon of the 50s in South Africa.
The eclectic sounds and music selected are
symbolically representative of the myriad of cultures that are embedded within
the South African culture. Screens are cleverly utilised to project images of
the struggle as well as to give a sense of space lost and gained, almost
denoting the battle for land and a voice in our country. The ensemble was
strongest in the sections where they moved in perfect unison. Quite evident is
the fusion of African contemporary dance with ballet, creating an elegant yet
township swagger feel in some sections.
The choreography is bold and brazen as was
the march to gain the vote for women. I was engrossed in the use of props like
paper, falling from the sky, writing our history questioning said history that
is written on the stage through the flesh. It strikes us, the importance of
paper. Paper identity documents, laws papered and paper blown away. Motau also
uses beer crates to deliver interesting visuals and dynamics.
I felt that the storyline was very clear in
the first 45 minutes but I found myself devoid of storyline in the last 10
minutes. Perhaps this is the unwritten that is still being actioned ...
I was deeply moved by the prison cell piece
which offers a woman relentlessly raising her fist in camaraderie of the
struggle even after all the beatings. I salute this dance work with a raised
fist as we are reminded of our history and the new struggles that we are yet to
face. Motau hints that through unity we shall overcome. - Verne Rowin Munsamy
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