Dance festival to impart international styles

AWARD-winning choreographer, Jarryd Watson will host the first annual Durban Dance Movement Festival (DDMF) from Friday to Sunday, 6 to 8 December at the Catalina Theatre at Wilson’s Wharf.

Set against the backdrop of Durban harbour, Dance Movement has created a platform for a city dance festival, which will showcase vibrant performances from professional dancers, studios, community groups, street and youth groups and community performances of dance styles ranging from hip hop, contemporary, street and break dancing.

Jarryd and his Dance Movement team recently attended the Broadway Dance Centre (BDC) in New York for intense, professional training and performance development workshops with international choreographers best known for their work ín the US ‘So you think you can dance series’ and block buster films ‘Step Up’.

During the festival, there will be a workshop open to dancers to learn new styles such as street jazz (hip hop) and contemporary jazz (modern) which are the popular dance styles overseas, taking the industry by storm.

“When I returned to South Africa I felt the importance of sharing my knowledge and skill that I developed at BDC with the dancers of KZN and that’s when the idea of conceptualising the DDMF came to life.” I felt this would be the best way to showcase what was developed in New York and give the opportunity to fellow dancers to gain international technique and experience” said Jarryd.

The festival will also showcase professional works from training companies and groups, Kwamashu School of Contemporary Dance Theatre, Floor Assassins, Dance Movement and D&C Dance Company.

“The Durban Dance Movement Festival will hopefully bring recognition and light to these challenges and give a new platform for dancers to express themselves in their performances and sustain the great work they are doing in upholding dance culture in Durban.”

Over the three-day festival there will be four showcases, on Friday 6 December at 7pm, Saturday, 7 December at 2.30pm, Sunday, 8 December at 2.30pm. A professionals performance is on 7 December at 7pm. The Broadway Dance Workshop will be on the Sunday, 8 December from 9am to 12.30pm at a cost of R50. Tickets for the festival can be purchased at Computicket for R100. For more information contact 082-683-9665.