Johannesburg is the place to be this weekend with a feast of entertainment on offer. Alex Dodd reports
Just in case you haven’t smelt the jasmine yet, it’s worth figuring that spring is in full swing and Arts Alive is almost history. But, the good news is it’s going out with a bang. This is the weekend that the big city puts on her party shoes.
Apart from headline act Me’shell Ndegeocello, who’ll be doing her funky thing at Mega Music on Friday and Saturday night, Newtown will be living up to its reputation as Johannesburg’s cultural precinct. If Me’shell gets your groove thing going, there’s no particular reason to sleep on Friday night because the party’s going on throughout Saturday with the Newtown Street Bash and into the heart of Saturday night with the Kwai Y Urban Beatz party (competing for revellers with the big gay pride ’98 after party).
The all-day event, that’s likely to bring a vibrant sense of late-Eighties deja vu to the precinct, features the talents of Wurre Wurre, Abada Capoeira and more. Wurre Wurre are Belgian duo (Tom Roos and Philippe De Maertelaere) who, over the past 15 years, have taken their odd brand of Flemish humour to even odder corners of the globe. Somewhere between Buster Keaton and the Marx Brothers, they’re masters of the absurd. Their subject matter is simple, but quirky and their repertoire is made up of burlesque theatre, street theatre and ambulatory performances which they’ve been known to do in malls, busy streets and parking lots – anywhere where there’s an audience in a need of a giggle.
Another highlight will be the presence of the Abada Capoeira team from Brazil. The origins of this unique martial art-cum- dance form are to found right here in Africa, but the form gathered force in Brazil where it was developed over the centuries in the north-east province of Bahia, by African slaves brought to the American sub-continent.
Hearteningly, capoeira is still going strong in its birthplace, Angola. Although it’s probably biggest in Rio de Janeiro and Bahia, the art has a dedicated following in Luanda where capoeristas flex their rippling muscles in the cruel February sun at the annual carnival. The sexiness of capoeira cannot be overstated.
In the past few years, strong moves towards reconnecting Brazil with Africa have been afoot. Outside of Africa, Brazil has the largest African population in the world, yet until recently contact with the African continent was limited. Capoeira has been one of the links via which cultural meeting has been made possible. It’s no mere movement for the sake of movement, but a legacy of oral traditions, rituals and rhythms that come together in a glorious new world dance form. Check it out.
The programme also boasts:
l The Six Mabone Project, a retro band reminiscent of the times when the Six Mabone taxis – large American vehicles with lots of chrome, tinted windows, fur on the dashboard and six headlights – were kings of the road. The band’s sound has been reworked for the turn of the century by mixing in elements of pop and fusion, creating a new kwela sound that is decidedly modern with echoes of the late Basil Coetzee, Jimmy Dludlu, Sankomota and Hugh Masekela.
l Devon Shy, a young dance ensemble hailing from Alexandra and inspired by one of South Africa’s leading dancer/choreographers,Vincent Mantsoe.
l PPJ Ragga, a six-piece band led by Prince Twala on bass and djembe.
l Rutanang, a community theatre project from Tembisa that takes its productions to schools, railway stations and children’s homes, encouraging children to speak out about their experiences of abuse.
l Khomisanani Tsonga Dance, a dance group that celebrates Tsonga culture and customs through singing, dancing and plays.
l The Soweto Acrobats, four young gymnastic performance artists who are currently raising funds to participate in the quadrennial Gymnaestrade 1999 in Goteberg, Sweden.
l Fumane Moshane (a hot young vocalist who cites her inspiration as Roberta Flack and Miriam Makeba) and Sifiso Nhlapo (a guitarist who’s played both with Tim Parr and The Angola and the Groaners), from Moletsane.
l Soweto Percussion Group, a project of the Ipelegeng Arts and Culture Department.
l Red For Danger, a pantsula dance group that joined forces in the early Eighties.
l Thesele Creative Society, a performance theatre group that has enjoyed applause from Venda to the Czech Republic.
l Backdoor Initiative (BDI), a multimedia creative group that’s been delivering visual theatre and carnival spectacles since 1995.