A Mozambican focus is on offer at the 24^th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts which takes place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, Stable Theatre with some online offerings from 30 August to 11 September.

“Given our African border geopolitics and a long history of migrations and rethinking around home, we are proud to offer a special focus on Mozambique and to open space for three incredible Mozambican artists to share their dance work this year,” says Artistic Director Lliane Loots.

In partnership with the Goethe-Institut South Africa, JOMBA! presents the inimitable Edna Jaime in her remarkable solo Um Segundo (One Second). Set against the ‘stay home’ of the pandemic, this solo is about a strong sassy woman fighting to rise off the floor and be seen and heard. Techno music blares, Jaime’s body moves between the tribal and the urban, the real and the virtual, as she comes out of her comfort zone and firmly declares the future is now! This amazing solo is an affirmation of powerful womanhood, and from our recent history when gender politics was so fraught as humanity was urged to ‘stay home’ – not always a safe place for women. (6 & 7 September at 7pm Sneddon Theatre: Book at Computicket here)

Choreographer and dancer Pak Ndjamena has been commissioned to make a screen dance for our especially curated JOMBA! AFRICAN DIGITAL VOICES. Ndjamena works with Mozambican photographer and videomaker Ivan Barros and both of them completely overwhelmed JOMBA! audiences in 2021 with the premiere of their film IN-BOX –  an emotional rollercoaster of a dance film that offered a visual plea for Mozambique in an age of decolonisation. JOMBA! digital audience are in for a treat for their second collaboration. (5 September at 7pm. Watch Online here )

The Festival takes place from 30 August to 11 September. Tickets for performances at the Sneddon Theatre are R80, and R65 for students, scholars and pensioners through Computicket. All other events are free.

For more information follow on social media or go to the website: https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

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