National Arts Fest dance explosion
3 June 2005
The 2005 National Arts Festival dance programme ranges from classical through fusion to Eastern Cape traditional, multimedia performance art and adrenaline-driven body percussion.
Elizabeth Triegaardt's staging of "Sleeping Beauty" combines Cape Town City Ballet choreography by David Poole with Tchaikovsky's spellbinding score performed by the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra. Gorgeous costumes, high drama, sumptuous court scenes and delicate pas de deux make this a balletomane's mustn't miss.
Fusion is the repetiteur for "Windows", a collaboration between Adele Blank of Free Flight Dance Company and Martin Schönberg of Ballet Theatre Afrikan, using classical, contemporary, jazz and afro-fusion dance languages.
Dance moves closer to theatre and performance art with "Petra", a provocative new multimedia piece by Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner PJ Sabbagha. Through a tragic love story it explores masculinity, drawing
parallels between life under apartheid and love in the time of HIV/Aids. This is a Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative production, with music by Jennifer Ferguson and featuring dancers Athena Mazarakis, Craig Morris and Nathaniel Stern.
The body's memory is a remarkable asset, but it can also hold on to negative experiences, inducing fear of freedom and stifling instinct and desire. This idea informs "37 Degrees of Fear", a poignant work choreographed by Juanita Finestone-Praeg with an all-female cast.
"Attachments" offers another contemporary close-up on human emotion, this time from Gerard Bester, who never loses his light touch, even in the most serious moments. He observes the developments of a relationship in six short duets performed by Athena Mazarakis and Craig Morris.
"Shoes" is about dance and the adrenalin rush that is its own message. This percussive spectacle sees the Tap Talk Rhythm squad and the gumboot dancers from Heidelberg's Corroboration
striking sparks off one another.
The Eastern Cape Cultural Ensemble takes us on a journey from the hills of Kwa-Gcaleka to the plains of the Klein Karoo, with storytelling and interludes from the rich dance and music traditions of the region. The creative team of Skin Sipoko, Dalu Papu and Xolani Sibuta make this show a cultural experience of the diverse heritage of the country.
Once again dancers from round the country will take advantage of the Fringe stage to air their talents and inspirations.
The National Arts Festival takes place in Grahamstown from 30 June to 9 July and is sponsored by the Eastern Cape government, Standard Bank, the National Arts Council, the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund and the SABC.
For more information, visit the National Arts Festival website.
Source: National Arts Festival, Grahamstown
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