CJB
ABAVUKI
The Dizu Plaatjies Ibuyambo Ensemble
As a 5 piece, 7 piece or full 30 piece show, including singers, musicians and dancers from Cape Town, South Africa
THE AFRICAN DANCE THEATER - TADT
NEW AFRICAN DANCE THEATRE
Saturday 1st September saw the launch of the all new African Dance Theatre centrally situated on the 1st floor of a stunningly restored Victorian building, 44 Long Street. The hour long show will take to the stage each evening Monday to Saturday.
THE SHOW
The show takes us on an African musical journey through time. We are transported back to the days of beautiful African maidens and powerful warriors setting out to battle to the beat of African drums. Then we move forward in time to the industrial era with the thunderous gumboot dance. The 40’s and 50’s saw a turbulent South Africa but in the jazz halls of Sophiatown the indomitable spirit of a nation was evident in the kwela dance. The show ends with the vibrant urban youth of today getting down to pantsula to pumping kwaaito club tracks. The show is peppered with well loved songs such as: We Are Growing, The Lions Sleeps Tonight, Shosholoza, Pata Pata, Hakuna Matata and more.
THE CAST AND CREW
The 7-member marimba and brass band and 10-member dance troupe are choreographed by UCT trained dance and movement teacher and performer, Silumko Koyana.
THE THEATRE
The original Space Theatre was founded in 1972 and quickly established itself as a defiantly non-racial venue, actively opposing the apartheid laws of the time. The first fringe theatre in the country it mounted close on 300 productions, pioneering the work of Athol Fugard, John Kani, Winston Ntshona, Pieter Dirk Uys and Fatima Dike. It is fitting that The African Dance Theatre joins the ranks of these theatre legends to celebrate the realization of what they were fighting for many years ago.
EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
Every member of the cast and crew are partners in the business, each owning a share of ticket sales. The theatre will offer full-time employment for over 36 members. The theatre has become a training ground for new talent. On-going training of new performers will ensure that The African Dance Theatre can accommodate requests for external events and functions. This will offer even more opportunities for training and job creation.