Dance fest set to showcase fancy footwork
A variety of dance studios, groups, crews, youth groups and professional dancers will showcase their styles.
SET against the backdrop of the Durban Harbour, the second annual Durban Dance Movement Festival returns to the Catalina Theatre on Wilson’s Wharf with an array of explosive and vibrant dance performances from Friday to Sunday, 28 to 30 November.
This year promises to be bigger and better with a variety of dance studios, groups, crews, youth groups and professional dancers showcasing their works in styles such as hip hop, break dancing, contemporary, ballet and traditional cultural performances.
One of the groups adding their unique flavour to the festival is Toti-based dance group, Rhythmic Dance Studio who recently competed at the Talent Africa provincial competition and qualified to compete at the national competition in March, where they stand a chance to dance in New York at the finals. Under talented choreographer, Minette Landman the company, also dubbed as ‘Born to perform’ consists of artists with multiple talents such as tap, contemporary, hip hop and signing. The piece showcased at the festival is a collage of various genres to celebrate the diversity each performer brings to stage.
“I am excited with what the festival has to offer this year. Even though we are only in our second year, the high calibre of dancers has set the bar even higher for next year,” said artistic director, Jarryd Watson. With SA celebrating 20 years of democracy, the Durban Dance Movement Festival is a true reflection of one of the many milestones we have achieved in our democracy and what the future holds for our youth and ‘born frees’ of South Africa today.” Over the weekend the festival will not only showcase performances where groups will have an opportunity to win sponsorships to further develop their junior and senior level dancers but will also host a skills dance development workshop, open to all dancers and people wanting to further their skills in hip hop, breakdancing, contemporary and tap dancing on Sunday, 30 November.
The workshop will be hosted by the best of Durban choreographers such as Casey Swales (contemporary),bboy Preston, ‘kayzo’ Kyd (break dancing), Jarryd Watson (hip hop) and Lynn Totham (tap).
Go along and catch Dance Movement strutting their stuff at all the showcases on Friday, 28 November at 7pm, Saturday, 29 November at 2.30pm and 7pm and Sunday, 30 November at 2.30pm.
The workshop is on 30 November at the Playhouse Mayville studios from 8am to noon. Tickets for the workshop cost R60. Festival tickets can be booked at Computicket. Call 082-683-9665 for more information and to book your place.
