(Dr Ismail Mahomed, Director of the Centre for Creative Arts; Sharlene Versfeld &
Dr Lliane Loots)
I encourage audiences to support these bodies
that speak of and challenge trauma. – (Review by Dr Verne Munsamy)
Each year as August approaches, I wait with great anticipation for the arrival of JOMBA! One of the largest and longest running contemporary dance festivals in the world.
This year, the
festival turns 27, a remarkable achievement for a dance festival which in its
history has had over 80 countries participate in and dance on the stages of the
festival.
The Centre for
Creative Arts, housed at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, proudly hosts JOMBA!
and four other international festivals each year. For me, the opening night is
held dear to my heart as I eagerly await the opening night's speech by festival
director, Dr Lliane Loots. Her words provoke action in artists to create work
that challenges and diverts social norms that are destructive in nature.
This year's theme of
crossing borders is poetically described by Dr Loots. Her words resonate truth
as she reminds us that the arts are responsible for archiving culture and
history. This year a special award was bestowed upon Sharlene
Versfeld for her unwavering support of the festival and the arts as a
publicist. A well-deserved recognition indeed. She is recognized for her
archival of the festival through photographs, press releases and interviews and
all the wonderful things that she has done to support the arts.
The opening act of
the festival was created by ex-Durbanite, choreographer and dancer Sbonagaliso
Ndaba. Many will remember her as the choreographer for Phenduka Dance Company
in the early 2000s. She has since relocated to Cape Town and has continued her
journey as an artist that pushes the boundaries of the human body through
dance. Her piece, entitled In Search Of
Our Humanity, was simply 'wow'.
Through the complex
and riveting choreography, Ndaba captures the themes of slavery, climate change
and several other political issues both past and present. The choreographer
managed to create work that fully explored the limits of the human body by
pushing it to create dramatic lifts, soaring leaps and stunning
synchronization.
The 12 dancers
displayed remarkable African Contemporary technique which whisked me back on a
nostalgic reminder of the days of Phenduka. The section with the table, which
saw dancers leap over, jump on and fly across was breathtaking. The music
selection was intense and dramatic and complimented the choreography. I loved
every moment on stage and am confident that this was the best way to open this
year's festival.
I look forward to
the next two weeks of the festival and encourage readers to bear witness to
these extraordinary dance works from South Africa, Spain, Ivory Coast, Uganda,
France and Germany. I encourage audiences to support these bodies that speak of
and challenge trauma. - Dr Verne Rowin Munsamy
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