25th Battle of the Giants All Styles Dance Festival.
Mar26

25th Battle of the Giants All Styles Dance Festival.

Let the energy and rhythm of dance captivate you at South Africa’s premier dance event, the 25th Battle of the Giants All Styles Dance Festival between Friday 11 April and Sunday 13 April at Sun International’s Sun City Resort.   Under the aegis of the South African Dance Teachers Association Stage Branch, the event presents a kaleidoscope of dance forms attracting amateur, championship and professional dance entrants from around the country.   Dancers will compete in Freestyle, Slowdance, Ballroom and Latin, Hip Hop, Showdance, Street Dance Show, Disco Dance, Jazz, Breakdance and Electric Boogie. The Stage branch has opened a para category for disabled competitors as well.   The audience can expect to see a visual feast of colourful, glamorous costumes, dramatic make-up and the dynamism, passion and energy of dance, coupled with expert choreography and dancing.   The high calibre judging panel reflects the importance of the Battle of the Giants on the dance calendar. Judging this year’s contest are Kirsten Dan Jensen from Denmark  who serves on the Presidium of the International Dance Organization, along with a leading panel of South African judges including David Jones, Rudi Smit, Diana Moore, Pacou Mutombo and Craig Bullock to name a few.   The Festival is also a springboard for talented entrants who go on to achieve even greater recognition. The current World Freestyle and Slowdance Champion Kalon Badenhorst is one such example.   According to Bev Wood of the South African Dance Teachers Association Stage Branch, “We encourage each and every participant to reach their goals and strive to reach new heights in their dancing achievements. I know that the dancers will create another spectacular and successful Battle of the Giants and at the same time, climb the ranks of World dancing.”   Each day of the Festival dancing will begin at 9am. Tickets are available from Computicket at R75 per person per day, and R80 for the Grand Final on Saturday evening. Discounts are available for children under 12.   For more information about Sun City’s special accommodation packages contact Dreams on (011) 217 5555, or E-maildreams@suninternational.com or log into www.suninternationaldreams.com.   DATES             Friday 11 April to Sunday 13 April 2014 TIMES              From 07h00, dancing starts at 09h00 daily. Grand Final at 19h00 on Saturday 12 April 2014 VENUE                        Sun City Superbowl TICKETS          Booking at Computicket. Tickets from R75 daily, R80 each for Saturday night, discounts are available for children....

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Through urban’s Eyes: The View From her Camera
May30

Through urban’s Eyes: The View From her Camera

Sharpile to @_thanda_ aka Thanda Kunene for asking great questions of such an inspirational young South African creative, urbanmosadi. We ♥ the way urban describes why she loves living in Cape Town as well as her nickname for Johannesburg… and our favourite line from the interview has to be… “I seem to thrive outside of my comfort-zone, and in this case being away from home, is the only way I grow.” Representahs, make sure to shift your comfort zone every now and then – while you can, and always DO what you love.  We’ll leave it up to Thanda and Urban to convince you: Tiisetso Molobi AKA Urban Mosadi is an ever-changing soul with plenty of thoughts and silent serenity. She speaks deeply about her love of photography and the need for vintage in one’s life… The name is Urban Mosadi. How did it come into existence? urbanmosadi (with the lower case) urbanwoman. I needed to open up a new email account and I needed a name that described who I was, and what I wanted to become. Mosadi means woman. The t.molobi@blahblah was really not an option for me. For the longest time I have been a tom-boy, so wanting to blossom into a woman/lady one day, made it easy for me to stick with the word and name. I have had this alias for about 5 years now. Although I still have tom-boy tendencies, I feel like I’m evolving into this urbanmosadi I envisioned years back successfully. You now reside in the windy city of Cape Town. What made you change scenery from Joburg which is also your home town? I’m a rolling stone. The moment I am in myJoHo for too long I start getting ants in my dashiki pants…lol. After coming back from living in Los Angeles for most of last year (2009) I wanted to find a place that I could connect with back home, Capetown is alot like LA, or LA is alot like Capetown. Lots of landscape similarities, I reckon the C in Capetown definitely stands for Creativity. I love that about this city. Call it what you will Slaapstad, Apetown Little Europe, but there is an organic creative buzz about this town. I also love that folks out here are mad stylish. I love love that. But over and above that, I needed a place that would be kind to my heart. I seem to thrive outside of my comfort-zone, and in this case being away from home, is the only way I grow. I never understood the “cut throat” term used to describe myJoHo…I still don’t. I’m actually starting to...

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CT: Obie Oberholzer solo exhibition
May24

CT: Obie Oberholzer solo exhibition

Legendary South African photographer Obie Oberholzer‘s solo exhibition ‘Diesel and Dust’ opens at the Erdmann Contemporary gallery in Cape Town on Wednesday the 3rd of June. Contact the gallery to join the special walk-about with Oberholzer on Thursday 4 June @ 11:00.  Say no more – just go go go. Oberholzer is an avid storyteller, fond of dispensing profound statements and dazzling images of his colourful journeys all across Africa. He is the Wyatt Earp of the photographic world, always traveling alone, always taking with him a stirring collection of vibrant memories of  the unknown, remote places that we usually don’t ever get to see. His latest solo exhibition, Diesel & Dust, curated by Heidi Erdmann and Karen Grunwald, is a long awaited and also signals the end of analogue. After several decades of hand-printing all his photographs, Oberholzer has finally dismantled his darkroom at the beginning of 2009. Oberholzer taught photography at Rhodes University, Grahamstown until he retired in 2002. He now works full time on his photography. Erdmann Contemporary 63 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town, 8001. PO Box 51151, Waterfront, 8002 t +27 21 422 2762    f +27 21 422 3278    m 072 356 7056 photogallery@mweb.co.za www.erdmanncontemporary.co.za mon – fri 10:00 – 17:00, sat 11:00 – 13:00, sun by appointment...

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Rock your winter Sunday in Jozi
May23

Rock your winter Sunday in Jozi

It’s winter, it’s cold and dry, people snuggle up indoors sometimes feeling gloomy, eating too much chocolate and wondering when summer will return…mmhh… Now zoom to a green leafy suburb not far from the heart of the city of Johannesburg on a Sunday afternoon in early winter, lazy happy residents stretch out on blankets under toasty sunlight and crisp blue skies surrounded by colourful people all tapping their feet to a live band. Tempted? You know you are. Catch the Old Mutual Encounters Concert on Sunday the 5 June at Emmarentia Dam: The Old Mutual Encounters Concerts is back with a brand new series. The last series of Old Mutual Encounters Concerts proved to be a standout success for this year’s calendar showcasing what many have regarded as one of the most eclectic and ground breaking collection of line-ups.  This new season promises to be filled with more headlining acts and some new kids on the block creating an outstanding musical experience for all. The Old Mutual Encounters Concerts MK Vredefest will get the ball rolling for this thrilling series at the ambient setting of the Emmarentia Dam, in the Johannesburg Botanic gardens on the 6 June. Audiences can look forward to exhilarating live stage acts from aKING, Fokofpolisiekar, Tidal Waves and Zebra & Giraffe. Cape Town based band aKING, brings you a new sound that is an enticing mixture of foot-tapping beats and a dynamic blend of musical style. Described as intense and relentless, this performance will definitely not be one to miss! Join in on the mind-blowing and high energy live show of Afrikaans alternative rock band Fokofpolisiekar. Formed in 2003, this band has since gone from strength to strength, injecting South African music scene with innovative rock tunes. Reggae band Tidal Waves are known for their song writing sophistication with their political and socially orientated lyrics. Fans can enjoy a fantastic and impressive sound and will be sure to witness a musical masterpiece. Pushing the musical envelope, Zebra & Giraffe, with their unique look and music, will bring something original and exciting to the Johannesburg music scene. Be sure to catch this year’s winner of the South African Music Award for Best Rock Album for their debut album “Collective Memories”. So launch your winter season with a big bang and come and join us for an unforgettable rock and roll experience and get ready to have fun in the sun and bask in the sound waves. Be sure to pack your umbrella, picnic blankets, and cooler boxes and let Old Mutual Encounters Concerts take care of the rest. Tickets are available via www.tunegum.com for R50 and...

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First Ever AFRICAN fashion week
Mar16

First Ever AFRICAN fashion week

Wow, amidst all the mishmash of the myriad of fashion weeks and not knowing which city or country we’re in or which season, who would have thought that the creme de la creme of an entire continent’s fashionistas could come together on one stage. Only in South Africa, land of big dreams and even bigger doers. Nice one. Represent Africa!  Great timing, HINT: If you didn’t know already, big chunky and colourful Afro-inspired necklaces are the MUST HAVE accesory this Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. We look forward to more info. Inaugural Africa Fashion Week to draw world attention African designers will be scoring the winning goal during the upcoming FIFA Confederations Cup in June, when the inaugural Africa Fashion Week takes place in Johannesburg. African Fashion International (AFI) has announced that the first Africa Fashion Week will be an eight-day showcase of the continent’s leading designers from 12 to 19 June 2009 at the Sandton Convention Centre, replacing Joburg Fashion Week on this years spring/summer calendar. Africa Fashion Week – which will feature designers from up to 15 countries including top South African designers – is set to become an annual event that will also be held during the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Visit www.africanfashioninternational.com for more details. Image: David Tlale’s...

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