JOMBA! Bonus events Talks, Forging Futures Panel & Khuluma Blog
The JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience 2025 offers 13 days packed with performances, and alongside this also offers free bonus events which include after-performance conversations in JOMBA! Talks, a half-day robust dialogue around festivals and curation, five dance-focussed workshops, four bespoke workshops, and a blog for interviews, reviews and thoughts about the festival.
JOMBA! Talks are spaces to hear the invited dancers and choreographers speak about their work and for audiences to engage with them. These talks will be conducted with Sbo Ndaba(SA), Oulouy (Ivory Coast /Spain) and Barbara Diaz Rios (Spain), Greg Homann (SA) Artistic Director at the Market Theatre and Sunnyboy Mandla Motau from Moving into Dance (SA), Didier Boutiana (Réunion), Hannah Ma (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) andAsanda Ruda (SA), and are hosted after some of the live performances at the Sneddon Theatre. (Check the programme for dates and times)
The Forging Futures / Opening Borders Dialogues hosted by Thobile Maphanga which takes place on Saturday 30 August from 10am- 2.30pm at the Stable Theatre, has as its focus: Rethinking to re-member festivaling: How far have we come from Human Zoos? Perspectives from Southern Africa
This opens a space for discussion into rethinking, reimagining and re-membering how festivals are framed in the global South in light of decolonial conversations. Engaging cultural practitioners from varying spheres who have insights to both the institutionalised and cultural ways of engaging in rituals of celebration and festival we invite you to a half day of sharing food, knowledge, storytelling, and ways of being.
This session promises robust discussions with artists, scholars, and cultural workers,including: Hannah Ma (Choreographer, Performer, Writer), Niren Tolsi (Writer, Journalist and Arts Practitioner), Ongezwa Mbele (Lecturer (UKZN) and PhD Candidate), RefiloeOlifant (Principal Violinist (KZN Philharmonic Orchestra)), Russel Hlongwane (Cultural Producer), Siphephelo Mbhele (Founder Music Imbizo), Thobekile Mbanda (Afro-Musicologist, Author, Educator and Musician), and Zawadi Yamungu (Musician and Music Educator at KCAP). Booking is essential via e-mail 2024jomba@gmail.com.
Attendance at this event will give attendees access to the JOMBA! Female Forward matinee performance at the Stable Theatre and a free ticket to the JOMBA! Spanish focused evening programme (30 August @ 7pm) at The Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
The annual JOMBA! KHULUMA and JOMBA! BLOG is a writing residency is led by Clare Craighead with Marcia Mzindle as part of the teaching and facilitation team. The residency aims to support graduate students studying dance by developing their skills as dance writers, while also immersing them in the fast-paced environment of festival journalism.
The Khuluma runs as a series of seminars and critical discussions that engage young writers in the mechanics and ethics of reviewing which equips students with working tools to be able to write reviews of works that are performed as part of the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience.
The JOMBA! Khuluma continues to promote a dual language delivery with both English and isiZulu reviews being included.
The blog can be accessed here:
JOMBA! Khuluma Blog: https://jombafestival.medium.com
For more information and to see the full programme go to: https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/