Dance Workshops In KZN – Starting tomorrow!
Swiss style and sensuality for SA dance stages. Brilliant news for dance aficionados is that the award-winning Swiss contemporary ballet work NILE will be touring venues throughout Southern Africa for two weeks in July. Created by choreographers Laurence Yadi and Nicolas Cantillon, with original music by Sir Richard Bishop, NILE scooped the prestigious Swiss Award for Dance and Choreography in 2011. Now, this sensual and beautiful work is winging its way southwards. It will be presented in South Africa and Mozambique by Company 7273, a Swiss/French contemporary dance outfit, and supported by Pro Helvetia, the Swiss arts council. NILE can be seen at the Transnet Great Hall at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown on 5, 6 and 7 July 2014, before it heads to the Franco-Mozambican Cultural Centre (CCFM) in Maputo on 15 July 2014, and then to the Wits Main Theatre in Johannesburg as part of the 969 Festival on 17 July 2014. In between these performances, from 9 to 12 July, Company 7273 will be in KwaZulu-Natal to present workshops and master classes for professional and semi-professional dancers, as well as for parents and children interested in contemporary ballet. These classes will be held in partnership with the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as local dance companies Flat Foot and Siwela Sonke. Company 7273’s choreographers and artistic directors, Ms Yadi and Mr Cantillon, worked extensively as performers and choreographic assistants at the Ballet Jazz Art in Paris, the Geneva-based Alias dance company and Rui Horta in Lisbon. In 2003, they started branching out to choreograph their own work, first with the piece La Vision du lapin, followed bySimple Proposition (2005) and then Climax (2006), which received the Lietchi Foundation’s Award for the Arts. After En Concert and Laï laï laï laï, Listen & Watch (2009), the third installment of a trilogy exploring the relationship between dance and 1970s American folk music, marked Company 7273’s first artistic collaboration with experimental American musician Sir Richard Bishop – a composer, guitarist and singer who, in the early 1980s, co-founded ethnic-improv pioneers the Sun City Girls. In 2011, this meeting of three creative minds came to potent maturity with the creation of the award-winning work NILE, which is now set to grace Southern African stages. Acoustic guitar music and the sounds of the region where the river runs, move these five dancers in a way that can be described as sensual and layered with emotion, and combines with the choreography to create a subtle, sexy energy. Rich with allegory and abstraction, NILE conjures emotions that overtake the physical reality of the river to which it alludes. It is no longer just a river on a map, but a reservoir of imagination, a way to explore movement...
The Class of ’79 tells the story of Three Students who Risked their Lives to Destroy Apartheid
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” – Nelson Mandela, May 2002 Out of the class of 1979 at Rhodes University came two women whose identities merged with the painful birth of the new South Africa: two journalism students whose journey was to take them into defiance, imprisonment and torture during the apartheid years. One of the quietest girls in the class, Marion Sparg, joined Umkhonto we Sizwe, trained in exile in Angola and was eventually convicted of bombing three police stations. The Cape Times journalist Zubeida Jaffer was imprisoned, poisoned and tortured for her writing and her union activism, yet chose not to prosecute her torturer. Guy Berger, also a student and later a lecturer at Rhodes University, was arrested and interrogated for possession of banned books. He spent seven months in custody, three of which he spent in solitary confinement. He was ultimately sentenced to four years in prison. This is a book that you should read to understand where journalism comes from and perhaps where it’s going...
Africa in the Spotlight
By Mariam Mahomed Africans are blessed with a number of things. A striking landscape, great heritage and a number of beautiful cultures. It is no wonder then that we are so proud to be from this amazing land.Our pride is only increasing now as the rest of the world notices our splendour. African inspiration is now at the forefront of trends in arts and design. From Burberry’s use of blankets in the Fall 2014 collection to the use of various afro-chic inspired prints and textures by numerous fashion houses, such as Etro, Givenchy, Mary Katrantzou and Suno, Africa seems to be the go to place for inspiration across international catwalks. Aside from the clothing, African design elements come across clearly in the accessories and jewellery pieces used and created by fashion’s most prestigious brands. Italian luxury brand, Fendi’s bold and beautiful leather and fur cuffs from their Fall 2014 show reminds us of a great African warrior and seems to be the favourite jewellery piece amongst fashion lovers across the world. Another favourite accessory from the Fall 2014 shows is the handbags from Burberry featuring colours and prints that brings about warm thoughts of African landscapes and artworks. And if conquering the world of fashion is not enough the most stunning décor and interior looks of the season boasts African design elements. Global interior and architecture web-magazine , Decoist, realises that ‘it is time to put the vivacious African continent and its captivating prints, artifacts and designs under the spotlight’ and showcases a number of exquisite African inspired interiors. Sir Richard Branson’s luxury safari retreat Mahali Mzuri showcases the perfect mix between African inspiration and contemporary architecture. The modern, exclusive and absolutely breath-taking camp-styled lodges serves as a global architectural inspiration and is an epic salute to African design. We can definitely expect an increase of African inspiration in architecture, interiors and fashion design across the world. As more magazines, blogs and other media platforms showcase this trend , African design will be available on a number of websites and retail outlets and seen in cities around the world in the next few years. Yes, the world is saying ‘Look at Africa!’ and to that we say, ‘It’s about time!’ Pictures from Style.com and...
Students given the opportunity to learn all about the music industry
Standard Bank’s Geleza Kleva and Learn series of day-long workshops start in July as part of the build-up to Standard Bank Joy of Jazz which takes place from September 25 to 27. As part of the events’ development programme and contributing back to the various communities, Geleza Kleva and Learn has been specially designed to give learners the opportunity to learn more about the music business, and highlights the different careers available as well as the challenges in the industry. The programme aims to assert the music Industry’s role as an important role player to broader society. The festival believes that there is an indelible role that the industry can play in the social transformation and education of our youth. Well known performer Concord Nkabinde, who also owns a music company, will facilitate and coordinate the workshops. Youngsters often dream about a career in the music industry but have little knowledge and understanding of how the industry works. This is what Geleza Kleva and Learn – the successor to the successful Joy of Jazz Camps in previous years – aims to address. Geleza Kleva and Learn takes the form of a day-long workshop providing learners with an opportunity to learn more about the different careers in the industry, how to access them and what the challenges are. A highlight will be a visit by an established artist who will share their stories with the learners. The workshops focuses various key role players within the industry including • The songwriter, producer and publisher • The musician • The events producer, artists management and booking agents • Behind-the-scenes including technicians Geleza Kleva and Learn takes place at the Soweto Theatre in Soweto on Friday, July 11; the Orange Farm Multipurpose Centre in Orange Farm on Tuesday, July 15 and the East Bank Hall in Alexandra on Thursday, July 17. The new-look 2014 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from September 25 to...
Book review: Africa is open for Business by Victor Kgomoeswana
I love it when a book with a subject matter I’m not well versed in, is an easy yet informative read. This was the case with “Africa is open for business” the insightful read by Victor Kgomoeswana, a business specialist who does a lot of work with multinationals, interpreting the African landscape for foreign investment. It is a collection of 50 essays from Victor’s learnings over the years of doing work as a business show host for radio stations such 702, Kaya FM; doing interviews with news powerhouses like CNBC & CNN. As well as information gained from his Business developer position at PPC a local cement company which has expanded to several countries across the continent. The book breaks down the elephantine task of understanding the Pan African business market, & breaks it down into into bite-sized chunks. It is a must-read for both leisure readers with a keen interest in the direction the continent is taking in terms of development. As well business information seekers who wish to equip themselves with knowledge such as entrepreneurs and corporation directors who want to expand their operations throughout the continent and take advantage of the boom. In the book, Victor touches on and elaborates on every story you’ve heard about doing business in Africa. Controversial topics such as the ‘2nd colonization’ by the wave of Chinese forging relationships with African countries in exchange for minerals. To Nigeria’s reputation reincarnation – from being known as Africa’s fraud capital to its new status as the continent’s biggest economy and everything in between. The anecdotal style the book is written in made it a pleasure to read, which is unlike my usual experience with business writing. It still packs stats and facts as any business book but thanks to his intimate knowledge & his passion for the subject matter Victor has made this book a gem definitely work...
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