Friday, September 01, 2006
Jazzart Dance guards the flame
Johann Davis, from Cape Town’s Jazzart Dance Theatre, came to visit Bronwin and I this week to drop off some marketing material and tell us what we can all look forward to for our clients.I have known Jazzart since my Camps Bay High School days in the early eighties when I was willing to join dance classes to impress Teva, my first real girlfriend, and her choreographer mother Jenny. They were both involved with Jazzart, and because I thought I could swing my hips and kick the legs at our school theatre productions – I too could be a dancer. Dirty Dancing was pretty popular...
Am glad I saved myself the embarrassment!
Jazzart are such professional outfit. Their reputation internationally has always been of the highest standard, then and now, and with their African influence and flair, they have been at the forefront of producing, nurturing and sustaining dance in South Africa for many years.
They have a very strong reputation as a cultural organization and have many awards, not only for choreographic innovation, but also for the development of extraordinary performers.
They have created a piece I am very excited about – not only for shows here at home (ok – not exactly home – Lenny cooks for enough people at our parties, and we’re not adding the cast to that!), but for shows around the world!The Guardian of the Flame is a stunning piece of collaboration, combining music, song and dance – but not just dance – they have also mastered circus elements, and added these to excite with a visual and aural show-piece!
Here is a small ad conceptualized and directed by Zaheer Bhyat of Light and Dark Films as part of the Vuka series made for television (thanks Zaheer!). It’s a perfect example of how easile they provide a combination of elements, resulting in true African beauty that compete's easily with the rest of the world.
Photos thanks to Charlie Sperring (top) & Mark Wessels (bottom).
Labels: Jazzart Dance Theatre
