I was mostly drawn to moments of juxtaposition between rhythms, levels and momentum explored by the dancers. The officers displayed the most daring elevations and the solos were remarkably captivating. (Review by Verne Rowin Munsamy)
Enough is Enough...
The Playhouse Company and Moving into Dance have revived the acclaimed dance work We are Still Marching which sees its return to the Playhouse Drama this week. MID is a dance company based in Johannesburg specializing in the training of young dancers. The company is renowned for numerous acclaimed dance works and this season they bring their ever-growing talents to this dance piece. The African Contemporary technique that the company explores is refined and boastworthy.
We are Still Marching is a reflection on the 1956 women's March to Parliament. Situating us in this oppressive era are soldiers that greet you in the foyer, shining flashlights in your face as if in an interrogation. The ominous music in the beginning sets the tone for the first 45minutes of the piece.
The dompas era is depicted in the papers that the open sequence utilized as the image of two dances tossed around by leaf-blowers is indicative of the littered papers. The piece begins with slow movement that rapidly builds into a flurry of solos, duets, lifts and groupings. The costumes at first are representative of the 50s and become more contemporary as the timeline progresses. The piece depicts the March by women, evidenced in projections that create a backdrop on screens, the incarceration and torture of many women and the discrepancies faced between different race groups. I particularly enjoyed the juxtaposition in music that underscored the brutal jail sequence.
I was mostly drawn to moments of juxtaposition between rhythms, levels and momentum explored by the dancers. The officers displayed the most daring elevations and the solos were remarkably captivating. I did feel like the piece could have included another 10 minutes of dance but perhaps that's just me being a glutton for more dance. The work ends with the dancers 'marching' in different ways but it does reveal more comradery in its endeavours as we fight for our rights in this modern era.
It was so refreshing to visit the Playhouse to watch a live dance show as theatres have been dormant due to Covid, perhaps another cause we have to March for.
All Covid protocols are observed so be sure to catch this dance work before it ends tonight (February 19, 2022) at 19h00. Tickets booked through Webtickets. Verne Rowin Munsamy
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