FREEDOM OF THE MIND

(Members of the UKZN-based band, Salt and Light, accomplished skateboarders, biker riders and visual artists who will be participating: Siya Mkhize; Schogn Lee; Celumusa Dladla and Darren Oatley)

The city’s Parks, Recreation & Culture Unit will host a celebration on September 5 to honour Heritage month with Freedom of the Mind – a day long free family event. The aim is to showcase the breadth of creative talent the city is nurturing in honour of Heritage month.

All of the city’s PRC units will showcase their projects and the programme includes a battle of the DJs; a drumming session; open mics to feature hip hop; jazz; sketch comedy; vernacular comedy; traditional dance; gospel and contemporary dance.

The work and projects of the Durban Art Gallery and Libraries department will also be showcased.

Other events will take place on the same day from South Beach to North Beach – it will be a feast of PRC unit activities. Other PRC departments such as Sports and Recreation will have activities including volleyball, aerobics and children’s activities with jumping castles, storytelling and many more activities provided by the unit at large.

The intention of the cultural day is to showcase the artists which the Arts and Living Culture Dept have been mentoring with the intention of exposing them to external stakeholders, the public and potential employers, and for the performers and artists to gain experience and exposure. The Arts and Living Cultures Unit does not employ artists but facilitates arts development programmes such as poetry, dance, choral and traditional music, hip hop, jazz, theatre and comedy by offering workshops, seminars, exhibitions and live performance opportunities.

“Parks, Recreation and Culture is focused on social cohesion,” explains Head of Parks, Recreation and Culture Unit, Thembinkosi Ngcobo “We are blessed with world-class facilities and we want to encourage further activity in the city’s many public spaces – especially those which aren’t optimally utilised. We also want to foreground the city’s natural heritage and send out a message that our beaches, parks and open spaces need preserving, protecting and promoting. So often the Durban population neglects the natural heritage, so we want to encourage Durbanites to become exposed to our public spaces and utilise them more, and to become more familiar with the city’s diverse cultures and creative activities.”

A stage will be erected for the day on the Bay of Plenty lawns. There will be back-to-back entertainment as well as installations, displays and stalls on the periphery showcasing some of the city’s cultural projects. Entry is free and all are welcome.

With its youth focus, it is an alcohol-free event, so only soft drinks will be available. There will also be a mini open air market.

The skateboard park alongside the lawns will also be operational, with BMX / cycle / skateboard enthusiasts doing demos and comps as part of the day’s programme.

Freedom of the Mind takes place on September 5 from 10h00 until 20h00 at the  Bay of Plenty, Durban beachfront, next to the Skateboard area. For more information, contact Phumelele Myeza from Parks, Recreation & Culture Unit on 031 311 2410 or 031 311 2427/8 or email: Phumelele.Myeza@durban.gov.za

GLENWOOD COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

(Previous Glenwood Community Festival participants: Shannon Fitz Gerald (top) with Ridge Khoza & Azuri Mahuli on the next row. Carrie Sanders (middle row) and West Johns, Tia Botha, Ethan Farrel; Daniella Keggie & Zahra Kara in front. Pic by Darren Tomkins)

A busy weekend of family activities is approaching with the annual Glenwood Community Festival which takes place from September 3 to 6. The proactive Glenwood Community Forum in Durban believes this bustling suburb is “A good place to live, work, educate and raise a family”.

Opening on Thursday evening, (September 3), is a showcase of more than 100 works of art from the various local high schools which will be on display at Glenwood High School in an exhibition curated by Sarie de Beer. The work can be viewed over the weekend.

On Friday evening - multi talented Durban actor, Jacobus van Heerden, will present his quirky, family-friendly one-man rollicking adventure – Catch! – at the Glenwood Preparatory School Hall on September 4 at 19h00. This brilliant combination of performance, storytelling, and ultra violet props is written and performed by Jacobus van Heerden and directed by Liam Magner. (See http://news.artsmart.co.za/2015/08/catch-at-glenwood-festival.html)

Saturday has lots of sports and fun events for Glenwoodians starting with a treasure hunt in Bulwer Park at 09h00. There are family events at both Glenwood High School and Glenwood Preparatory School. Glenwood High will host a morning City Trail Relay; a Bridge Building Competition; Art on Display and an afternoon cultural showcase and prizegiving starting at 14h00.

At Glenwood Prep the activities include the Camelot College Market Day; the Durban Girl’s High School Drummies and Glenwood High School Band Display.

Sunday is a “Community Day of Prayer”. There will be Community Devotional Church Service at 09h00 at Glenwood Community Church in Bulwer Road.

For a detailed programme of events go to the website at www.glenwoodforum.org.za or email enquiries@glenwoodprep.co.za

DEATH OF ROLAND MQWEBU

(Roland Mqwebu)

Colleagues in the performing arts industry as well as friends and fellow-awardees at Saturday night’s EThekwini Municipality 8^th Living Legend Awards ceremony were shocked to hear of the death of veteran actor, Roland Mqwebu.

He died on August 28 at the age of 74, after a long battle with kidney disease.

Born in Inanda, Mqwebu was best known for his role as Mkhize in SABC1’s  television sitcom Emzini Wezinsizwa. He was also a musician and collaborated with maskandi singer Phuzekhemisi (a fellow EThekwini Living Legend awardee) on the song, Ekhaya Ngonyawo. During his career he appeared in a number of local television and film productions. He was also an assistant director on the internationally acclaimed film Shaka Zulu, in which he played the role of King Shaka’s friend, Ngomane.

Mqwebu is survived by his wife and four children.

CATCH! AT GLENWOOD FESTIVAL

(Jacobus van Heerden)

Multi talented Durban actor, Jacobus van Heerden, will present his quirky, family-friendly one-man rollicking adventure – Catch! – at the 2015 Glenwood Community Festival on September 4.

Through a brilliant combination of performance, storytelling, and ultra-violet props, Van Heerden tells the hilarious story of an unlikely friendship between Felix and Fred.

Felix is a 22 year-old wannabe rock star who runs away from home in search of adventure while Fred is a 12 year old bird-watching nerd sent to live with his Gran, Glynis, for a year. Both are newcomers to the town of Knysna and before long they embark on an illicit night-time fishing expedition which goes horribly wrong. Forced into raising R5,000, they enter a fishing competition in the hope of catching their salvation.

Van Heerden said Catch! was partly inspired by his own experiences as a young boy: “I lived in Knysna for a few years when I was younger, and that was a very influential time in my life. I went on all these adventures and fished a lot. So I drew on all these experiences. It is important to write from your own experience. It is always best to be the best version of yourself rather than the second-rate version of someone else.”

Catch! won PANSA’s Musho Theatre Festival Audience Vote Award and Suliman Selection Award in 2007, and has had subsequent theatre seasons including playing the Hilton Festival in 2008 and has toured to various festivals around the country as well as performing in Zimbabwe at the Harare International Festival of the Arts. The play is written and performed by Jacobus van Heerden and directed by Liam Magner.

Catch Catch! at Glenwood Preparatory School Hall on September 4 at 19h00. This is a unique once-off performance at the Festival – suitable for all ages (not babes in arms). Tickets on sale in advance during school hours or at box-office prior to the performance. Tickets R50 (R35 primary school children). Only 220 tickets will be sold. Secure parking is available on the school grounds for ticket holders. Refreshments on sale before and after the show, in aid of the Jeanette Smit Seniors’ Home in Glenwood.

For more information contact Kelly Hobbs, PRO/Marketing; Glenwood Preparatory School on 031 201 5165 or email: enquiries@glenwoodprep.co.za

Catch! is part of the annual Glenwood Community Festival – which hosts a busy weekend of interactive family activities from September 3 to 6. For a detailed programme of events visit website at www.glenwoodforum.org.za

SHALL WE DANCE 2015

(Appearing on the programme will be

Farah Yassin; Lyn Roper; Graeme Harper; Kirsty Harper; 

Nicolette De Lange & Shae van Winkel)

Shall We Dance, Durban’s most popular dance showcase celebrates its 23^rd season this year at The Playhouse Opera from September 11 to 19.

The perennially-popular Shall We Dance Ballroom and Latin American showcase presents its comprehensive annual dance extravaganza which features approximately 100 of the region’s most exciting dancers with dancers as young as 13 years old as well as top award-winning international industry professionals.

Direction is by Neville Letard and Caryl Cusens. The featured couples this year are South Africa’s own World Champions Gerhard van Rooyen and Amor Kruger; the duo who currently impressed the world with their acrobatic dance. Adding to the Latin dancers, Darren Hammond will pair with Milla Lykke. Showcase Ballroom is provided by Danish champions Nicolai Bouet and Anna Shagalina, Darren and Milla both have an impressive record of international recognition. The partnership is much anticipated and already they have ranked highly in competitions in Blackpool and Mannheim, Germany.

Shall We Dance once more promises to delight audiences with its carefully-chosen mix of quality dance with an underlying Ballroom and Latin American feel.

Featured styles are of course crowd-pleasing ballroom and Latin; as well as ballet; belly dance; tap-dance; line-dance and modern which promises a large variety that is sure to captivate and keep your gaze glued to the stage. The MC is once again East Coast Radio's Damon Beard.

Shall We Dance delivers a unique and exciting variety of music, from modern songs such as All about the Bass  to classic well known favorites like Pretty Women and One Look at You by Barbra Streisand as well as some great numbers from the soundtracks of Zorro, Footloose, Burlesque, Edward Scissor Hands and many more.

This annual showcase came into being in 1991, and is probably the longest enduring annual production in Durban, if not in South Africa. It is presented by the Playhouse Company in association with the South African Dance Teachers’ Association, with a supporting grant from Business and Arts South Africa. A special thanks must also be given to the Three Cities Royal Palm Hotel at Gateway for graciously housing the dancers as well as East Coast Radio for their ongoing support. 

Shall We Dance runs in the Playhouse Opera from September 11 to 19. Tickets booked at Computicket (www.computicket.co.za or 0861 915 8000)