JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience

JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience is South Africa’s longest-running and most celebrated contemporary dance festival. Hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts, the festival is based in Durban and attracts top choreographers, dancers, scholars, and audiences from across Africa and the world. Renowned for its bold programming and global partnerships, JOMBA! is a leading platform for African contemporary dance, promoting connection, collaboration, and transformation through the power of movement.

26 August to - 7 September 2025

2025 Legacy Artist

JOMBA! is delighted to be honouring South African dance maker and teacher Sbonakaliso (or Sbo as she likes to be called) Ndaba as the 2025 JOMBA! Legacy Artist. She is being honoured for her innovative choreographic work that spans over three decades of dance making in South Africa and internationally. Also deeply significant to this JOMBA! Legacy Award is Sbo’s lifelong commitment to initiating many performance dance training initiatives including Phenduka Dance Theatre, Indoni Dance Arts Academy and recently SboNdaba Dance, a non-profit company dedicated to strengthening the performing arts in Cape Town. Her long-term impact on training professional contemporary dancers and the legacy of this is felt throughout South Africa and JOMBA! is deeply humbled that we can honour her and her work in this way.

Spanish Focus

JOMBA! is delighted to be partnering with the Embassy of Spain (South Africa) to showcase two unique contemporary Spanish dance offerings that celebrate a beautiful cultural connection between Spain and (South) Africa.

Digital JOMBA!

OVER the past five years, there has been a blossoming of digital dance making (sometimes referred to as ‘screen dance’). As we step into 2025, JOMBA! continues to support this form-especially in the global South-and proudly offers a small DIGITAL JOMBA! 2025 programme.

JOMBA! Female Forward Residency

JOMBA! 2025 is proud to launch its inaugural JOMBA! FEMALE FORWARD RESIDENCY, dedicated to supporting the development of young women in dance in KwaZulu-Natal. In response to the noticeable decline in the number of professional female dancers-particularly in Durban-this residency aims to address the need for more focused support and training.

The programme offers five places to female-identifying dancers aged 18 to 30 who have some prior dance training and are ready to advance their skills and pursue professional careers. Led by Thobile Maphanga (administration and programming) and Gaby Saranouffi (dance skills development), the residency focuses on technical training, professional development, and building a strong work ethic. Participants will also have full access to the festival programme and opportunities to engage with visiting companies and choreographers. Selection was based on a competitive application and audition process

JOMBA! @ The Market Theatre

10- 13 September 2026

TO CELEBRATE our third year of partnership, JOMBA! is delighted to continue to work with the Market Theatre to collaborate in sharing a smaller and carefully curated ‘JOMBA! @ THE MARKET’ following the Durban festival. Four selected local and international dance companies will travel to Johannesburg’s Market Theatre to feature in a week-long celebration of some of the world’s most profound and provoking dance makers and dance companies. Gauteng and The Market Theatre audiences will have an opportunity to revel in the performance excellence of this curated contemporary dance platform.

FREE Workshops at JOMBA!

Eight workshops are available FREE of charge to dancers and dance-makers, and associated arts practitioners at this year’s JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience which takes place from 26 August and 7 September 2025 in Durban.

Five dance-focussed workshops will be hosted at the Drama and Performance Studies Department (Dance Studio), UKZN Howard College Campus, and are open to dancers 16 years and older.