Renowned South African dancer Mamela Nyamza has been named as the JOMBA! 2023 Legacy Artist.
Set to take place at the at University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts from August 29 to September 10, JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience will showcase local and international dancers.
The 2023 JOMBA! festival curatorial theme (or provocation) is “(in)tangible heritages”. Of special interest will be new work by Mamela Nyamza, who has been named the JOMBA! 2023 Legacy Artist.
“Nyamza’s cutting edge and deeply interrogated dance work span over two decades of dance-making in South Africa and internationally, and as JOMBA! hits its iconic 25th year, we can think of no better artist to celebrate as our JOMBA! Legacy Artist,” said JOMBA! curator, Dr Lliane Loots.
“We celebrate Mamela for her vision and practice, and for significantly contributing to our country's rich critical contemporary dance history and legacy.”
Following the announcement, Nyamza shared the exciting news with her fans on social media.
She wrote: “JOMBA! 2023 lEGACY Artist. ENKOSI SIYABONGA KAKHULU!!! MAKUKHANYE, KWANDE (Thank you very much).”
Born and raised in Gugulethu, Nyamza is a performance artist, teacher, dancer, choreographer, director and activist.
According to her online bio, Nyamza is trained in a variety of styles of dance, among them ballet, modern dance, African dance, the Horton technique, Spanish dance, jazz, movement and mime, flying low technique, release technique, gumboot dance and Butoh.
Her style of dance and choreography blends aspects of traditional and contemporary dances.
This year marks 25 years of JOMBA!’s existence and, as part of celebrating this longevity as South Africa’s longest-running dance festival, JOMBA! has joined forces with the Market Theatre.
Choreographers and dancers from across the world will unite at the Market Theatre for a week of the continent’s contemporary dance festival from September 12 to 17.
“JOMBA! @ The Market will also be offering a series of workshops and master-classes that will be offered to support dance skills development and training, and will include a special focus on workshops and master-classes for lighting dance.”