South Africa: Crossings 2nd Edition Participants announced
By Novell Zwange – Fireworks are expected at this year’s second edition of Crossings, an international artistic workshop geared towards choreographers, composers, dancers & lighting designers, as twenty eight South African and international participants will get together under the artistic direction of established artists including two choreographers: Vincent Mantsoe (South Africa) and Michel Kelemenis (France), one dancer: Sifiso E. Kweyama (South Africa), two composers: James Webb (South Africa) and Eva Königer (Austria) and one lighting designer: Floriaan Ganzevoort (Holland).
The Dance Factory, the Dance Forum, Moving into Dance Mophatong and Vuyani Dance Theatre with the support of the National Arts Council, the French Institute of South Africa, Institut Francais and the British Council have announced
the selection of the 2011 participants , and they are:
· Choreographers: Brian Geza (Zimbabwe), Hélène Iratchet (France), Fana Tshabalala (South Africa), Mdu Mtshali (South Africa).
· Composers: Neo Leleka (South Africa), Yogin Sullaphen (South Africa) and two international composers to be announced.
· Dancers: Ciara Baron (South Africa), Rachel Birsh-Lawson (UK), Giulia Ceolin (Italy), Thulani Chauke (South Africa), Kristina Johnstone (South Africa), Igor Jugrith (DRC), Benjamin Gouin (France), Yoav Grinberg (Israel), Oceane Mc Cord (USA/France), Sonia Radebe (South Africa), Carson Reiners (USA), Thembekile Setiabi (South Africa), Muzi Shili (South Africa), Elvis Sibeko (South Africa), Katri Siipola (Finland/Denmark) and Tandi Winnie Tshabalala (South Africa).
· Lighting Designers: Kabelo Chalatsane, Hannah Lowenthal, Wesley Maherry, Vaughn Sadie (South Africa).
Dance classes and workshops will take place in Johannesburg from 23 July to 7 August 2011 at the Newtown Dance Corner, which houses on the same premises the stage of the Dance Factory, the studios of Dance Forum, Vuyani Dance Theatre and Moving into Dance Mophatong. Next door, the Bassline will provide studios to the composers. This two-week programme of classes, workshops and sessions of artistic collaboration, intends to give an opportunity to young international artists to work together and present a 12min-long artistic creation on the stage of the Dance Factory at the end of the residency.
Crossings #2 is presented by the Dance Factory, the Dance Forum, Moving into Dance Mophatong and Vuyani Dance Theatrewith the support of the National Arts Council, the French Institute of South Africa, Institut Francais, the British Council with further backing from LaMunu Hotel
Initiated in 2010, Crossings was an original idea developed by French choreographer Michel Kelemenis, following his residency for artistic creation with Moving into Dance Mophatong in February and March 2009. Inspired by the place – four institutions dedicated to dance gathered in the Newtown Cultural Precinct (Dance Forum, Dance Factory, Moving into Dance Mophatong and Vuyani Dance Theatre) – and his own artistic experience, he thought of Crossings as a training workshop for international and South African choreographers, dancers, composers and lighting designers, with a view to giving them the time and the space to explore the relationship between dance, music and lighting design.
The first edition of the international workshop Crossings took place in Newtown (Johannesburg) from Monday 26 July to Sunday 8 August 2010. With more than 110 applications from all over the world, the first edition was a great success on different levels: for the team of facilitators that was put together specifically for the purpose of Crossings, for all the participants who benefited from the training and for the audience who enjoyed the open sessions and the final performances.
