Photos of JOMBA! 2013 opening night

Hélène Cathala

A call to battle

By: Samantha Daly

Abuzz with excitement, anticipation and creative energy, Durban's Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre last night welcomed dancers, choreographers and contemporary dance junkies from all corners of the globe as this year's JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience kicked off. 2013 marks the festival's 15th year running which, in the face of serious budget cuts and a struggle to secure funding in the international (and especially) local dance scene, is a feat and certainly something to be celebrated.

Unpacking the baggage of identity

By: Princess Biyela

“Our identity as African is not something to ignore” stated Lliane Loots in her opening speech at the opening  of the 15th annual JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, evoking the memory of our forgotten roots.  The evening’s powerful performances B.L.E.N.D. and The King in Exile both challenged stereotypes around identity.

When bodies and histories collide

By: Mfundiseni Ndwalane

The stage was set, audience members waited in anticipation to be enthralled once again as the 15th annual JOMBA! Contemporary Experience commenced last night. We were treated to two performances, B.L.E.N.D by Desirè Davids (South Africa) and Hélène Cathala (France) followed by Francisco Camacho’s (Portugal) THE KING IN EXILE.

Histories, politics and memories collide on stage

By: Christiaan du Plessis

The 15th JOMBA!  Contemporary Dance Experience opened with a statement on the stance of dance theatre and performance in South Africa, making it clear that cutting funding will motivate artists and critical thinkers to fight against censorship, posing the challenge to the audience: "How will you fight?".

Sharing the struggle for identity

By: Arno Wagenaar

                                 

It was a phenomenal opening for the 15^th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience at the Sneddon Theatre last night. From an eye-opening speech from artistic director, Lliane Loots, speaking to and creating awareness around the lack of interest in funding contemporary dance in South Africa, to the two most fascinating performances; B.L.E.N.D – choreographed and performed in collaboration by Desiré Davids (South Africa) and Hélène Cathala (France), and THE KING IN EXILE – choreographed by Francisco Camacho (Portugal).

Lliane Loots' Opening Night Speech

It is always my great joy and delight to stand before you at the opening of UKZN’s  Centre for Creative Arts’s JOMBA! festival. It is always a personal opportunity for me to be reminded of what my theatre guru Jerzy Grotowski called the ‘great service of theatre’ - of being reminded that as  (what Grotowski called) ‘holy’ theatre makers and theatre practitioners our greatest ‘gift’ is to make our work as if it were a service to our community.