(Pic by Joanna Tang, Colourise)
Rampage
Dance Company is back with a new season of dance, this time focused on the
different generations of dance in celebration of Women's Day. Catch NAACH –
The Nature of Dance at the Playhouse on August 4, 2017.
“Women of all walks of life united in a
march to the Union Buildings speaking in one voice: I was inspired by this,”
says Iqraam Rahim, Rampage Dance Company Director, who is known for his unique
style of mixing music, movement and momentum over a geometric grid, his
choreographic work highlighting the Fibonacci sequence or golden mean which is
nature’s code for progression and growth.
“Dance is a language. NAACH - The Nature
of Dance presents dance work that in its very essence gives voice to many
dance styles,” says Rahim. “The value of this production is seen not only the
combination of various dance styles it profiles, but also that it highlights
the value of collaboration, marrying the dance ethos of today with long
established schools of dance.”
Anisha Maharaj (52) steps on stage after
being retired from dance performance for just over 12 years. A student of
Vasugi Singh (Artistic Director of KZN Dance Theatre), she has been given the
greatest care to aid in her transition to the new paradigm of dance that didn't
exist previously.
Kajal Misra (48), a seasoned Bharatanatyam
performer, is stepping out of retirement to collaborate with Rahim who is
pioneering the shift of local dance to a more diverse community, one that is
current, more accessible and is representative of South Africa in the global
dance arena. She will be performing a piece outside of her dance expertise, as
Iqraam has choreographed a very vintage, jazzy number to the remake of the old
time hit, Aaiye Meherabaan.
Iqraam Rahim was inspired by the story of
cancer survivor, Shivani Singh, who found her strength in dance. Shivani Singh
(38) a Kathak graduate, was excited at the prospect of working with the Durban
dance guru and finds herself at the heart of Oruyagum, a piece that speaks to strength, determination, victory
and celebration.
Heena Valabh, a classically trained dancer
and medical student, is debuting as a choreographer with an Afro-western-Kathak
inspired dance work that is indicative of her proud heritage as a South African
Indian. Fusing Indian classical beats with nuances of hip hop and pop culture
steers audiences into a world of dance uncharted by local choreographers.
Sandipa Sukhnandan and Tarika Nagessur,
students of Medicine and Commerce respectively, complete a line-up of artists
that speak to proud heritage of female performers locally.
“Last season, Rampage Dance Company united
dance schools in the celebration of dance,” says Rahim. “This season we bring
the mentors of the local dance theatre together in celebration of Women's Day,
giving voice not only to the celebration of Dance but also speaking out to
those bad practices adopted by Dance practitioners as we all scrabbled to find
a space in the evolving dance environment locally.”
“As a production, NAACH - the Nature of
Dance highlights the benefit of dance development, whether it be emotional,
physical, spiritual or political. The project seeks to reach out with a helping
hand to dance schools and institutes who have found themselves left behind in
the progressive dance movement because of a lack of resources. Collaboration is
definitely the key to produce more dance works and ultimately a better standard
of dance locally.”
Presented within a Bollywood framework, NAACH - the Nature of Dance shows for
one night only in Durban’s Playhouse Drama Theatre on August 4 at 19h30. Tickets
R150 booked through Computicket. Call 0861 915 8000 or book online at www.computicket.com
For more information call 071 237 2900.
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