Malcolm Black is the artistic director of the Remix Dance Company, and the first disabled dancer to win awards for dance in South Africa. Last year, Remix’s Loveaffair received unanimous praise for its innovative apporoach to “integrated” dance, which combines the talents of dancers with mixed physical abilities.
This year, the company presented Off Key at the prestigious Dance Umbrella festival of contemporary dance in Johannesburg. Off Key features 2 able-bodied dancers, a dancer in a wheelchair, and a deaf dancer. It is the first show Black has choreographed.
Mail & Guardian spoke to him spoke to him after his critically acclaimed performance at Dance Umbrella 2011.
Tell me a bit about the history of the company. Why is a company such as this important? Are you unique in what you do?
Remix was founded in 2000 by Nicola Visser and myself with the vision of bringing together artists of mixed physical abilities, developing an integrated dance aesthetic and exhibiting the work created on stages throughout South Africa as well as internationally.
Since its inception, Remix has worked with many theatre practitioners, including Lara Foot, Ina Wichterich, Tossie Van Tonder, Adam Benjamin and Neo Muyanga, who have brought with them skills in physical theatre, mime, puppetry and voice work, which have broadened the depth of knowledge and exploration within Remix’s work. At present Remix focuses on the contemporary dance genre, drawing on release technique and contact improvisations; its primary disciplines in training.
Integration is the next step in the development of this country, not only of people with different disabilities but of race, culture and socio-economic background. In terms of integrating different bodies Remix is unique.
How have audiences responded to your performances? Is there a different audience to the traditional dance audience?
In general for integrated dance the audiences are very different to what they were ten years ago. Ten years ago people were very uncomfortable; even journalist sometimes did not feel comfortable with seeing disabled people on stage. This has changed because it is now more common globally. I think that, because it lends a different side to contemporary dance in story telling through movement, there is an aspect that is unique and that people hopefully enjoy. Integrated dance is rooted in contemporary dance and our audiences are often the same.
How was this particular piece pulled together? Do you use improvisation, with an initial idea that is loosely explored, or is there a strong directorial approach to production?
Often in contemporary dance a story would be created out of improvisation, but in this case I had a story in mind that I wanted to tell, and the dancers helped to get it out of me and express it in movement.
Why do you choose this method?
This my first choreographic piece, so I guess that in the future the method for every piece will be different. The reason improvisation is often used is that it is a good way to find material, and it is a natural way of finding movement from within the dancers.
What is the background of this particular piece? What themes run through it and what do you want the audience to get out of it?
It is about a desperate man who lost love and he is finding it hard to keep up with life. Two ghosts try to guide him towards the positive in life and eventually love. I would like the audience to see the inner conflict in people, something we all experience.
Tell me a bit about the dancers in this particular piece.
Nadine Mckenzie is a dancer in a wheelchair who has been with Remix since 2005. She is also one of the first people to qualify in teaching integrated dance in Vienna in 2010. Mpotseng Shuping, who is able-bodied, has also been with Remix for many years and has a lot of experience in performance, teaching and developing integrated dance. Andile Vellem is a deaf dancer. He first met Remix in 2000 but officially joined the company 6 years ago. Owen Manamela has been with Remix since the beginning of this year. He has a lot of experience in dance choreography and teaching, having worked both in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Technically, what are the considerations when choreographing for the company? Does the company have a preferred dance technique or is there a unique dance language that has come to be used in the company?
The company uses different performing bodies but still aims for the same technique and professional skills that all contemporary dance companies aim for. We are working on a method for integrated dance that will eventually be published. It is a mixture of different dance styles as well as things we have learnt through trial and error.
What does involvement in the Dance Umbrella mean to you?
Professionally, it means a lot to us to be included in the mainstream contemporary dance platforms of South Africa, of which the Dance Umbrella is the biggest.