/ 8 September 2023

Steps in the right direction

Vincent Mantsoe Dsc2334a 2 (1)
Enlightening: Vincent Mantsoe’s ‘Mana – The Power Within’, which will be presented at the Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience, explores the sacred and ritualistic.

An extraordinary journey into the world of contemporary dance began in Durban 25 years ago. Jomba!, a unique, thriving dance festival, was born out of a spontaneous conversation. Lliane Loots, the curator, recalls the beginnings, saying, “Jomba! has a strange and wonderful origin.”

The story starts with Adriaan Donker, the esteemed literary figure of AD Donker publishers, who was invited to establish a centre for creative arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Initially, this was focused on literature and poetry but a remark from Loots changed the centre’s trajectory. She fondly remembers their conversation. 

“We’d often have tea together and one day in the tearoom I jokingly said to him, ‘What’s all the literature about? Where’s the dance?’ Literally without batting an eye, he said to me, ‘You organise it and I’ll get you some money.’ It was at that moment that Jomba! started.”

From this fortuitous encounter, Jomba! emerged as a celebration of dance, growing from a modest local event to a prestigious international festival. Loots admits she knew little about curating in those days: “I could sit through three hours of dance and I thought everyone else could.” 

She adds, “We started off very localised, with every dance company in Durban. We invited Tumbuka Dance Company from Zimbabwe. We had limited resources.”

With perseverance and a commitment to both local and continental talent, Jomba! expanded its reach. Over the years, Loots honed her curatorial skills, always prioritising the artists themselves. 

“The one thing that is really important, and that the festival has stayed true to, is we really aim to create a festival that is artist centred.”

Dedication to artists has been the festival’s cornerstone. Loots has strived to ensure every choreographer and company is provided for, not only in terms of technical needs and festival support but also through the care they take. 

“I really feel happy when companies or choreographers leave saying, ‘We feel so well looked after.’”

As Jomba! marks its 25th anniversary, it continues to evolve while staying true to its roots. 

“What’s changed is my ability to curate better,” Loots says. “What’s remained the same is always this commitment to our country and to the continent first.”

This commitment is evident in the festival’s lineup, with a diverse local and international programme that brings South African artists together with those from Mozambique, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Madagascar, Uganda, Romania, Germany, the UK and Brazil. 

“If you look very carefully at the programme, every single one of those international guests is connected to either South Africa or to the continent. It’s about celebrating those kinds of border crossings in some way,” adds Loots.

The curatorial theme this year is “(in)tangible heritages”. The theme invites artists to explore the complex intersections of personal and political trajectories, while also considering the concept of belonging. 

In a world marked by rapid change and shifting identities, this theme encourages dance-makers to reimagine their relationship with heritage and explore what it means to belong in today’s world.

The 25th edition of Jomba! is running at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts until Sunday, before a smaller, curated Jomba!@The Market comes to Joburg for the first time next week. 

This expansion cements Jomba! as the longest-running contemporary dance festival in South Africa, and is a testament to its enduring legacy.

Jomba!@The Market starts next Thursday with Mamela Nyamza’s Hatched Ensemble, which sold out at this year’s National Arts Festival. The work builds on her 2007 solo piece which challenged traditional norms and other issues surrounding identity and belonging. 

Other highlights include Hannah Ma’s Invasion(s), which analyses the act of invasion from a feminist and post-migrant perspective, and Virva Talonen’s Portable Home Project, a contemporary dance exploration of the concept of home. 

Birmingham’s Ace Dance and Music present a double bill featuring choreography by Burkina Faso’s Serge Aimé Coulibaly and South Africa’s Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe. Coulibaly’s The Night Before Tomorrow explores the metaphorical night before an uncertain tomorrow, while Mantsoe’s Mana — The Power Within engages with the sacred and ritualistic.

In addition to the performances, Jomba!@The Market will host free dance workshops. These will be led by luminaries such as Mantsoe; Ace Dance and Music; Nyamza, Talonen and Ma, offering aspiring dancers a chance to learn from the best. Finnish Lighting Designer Nanni Vapaavuori will also host a workshop.

The 25th edition of Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience is a celebration of artistic expression, cultural heritage and the vibrant world of dance. Its longevity is a testament to the power of dance to connect people, celebrate diversity and challenge the status quo. This milestone season reminds us of the (in)tangible heritages that have shaped us and the infinite possibilities ahead. 

Jomba! is not just a festival, it’s a celebration of the human spirit, a tribute to the past and a vision for a future where dance continues to inspire, challenge and unite. 

Here’s to another 25 years of dance, creativity and boundless expression!

Greg Homann is the artistic director of the Market Theatre Foundation. His work as an award-winning director, dramaturg, playwright, educator and academic has positioned him as a leading figure in the South African theatrical landscape.