The inaugural Choreographic Residency was held at the 2003 Dance Umbrella. Alfred Hinkel, renowned former Artistic Director of Jazzart Dance Theatre, Cape Town, will drive the 2012 Choreographic Residency programme. He will be assisted by David Thatanelo April, Dance Umbrella 2012 Project manager.
Hinkel established his first dance company in the Northern Cape in 1976. In the early ‘80s he spent a few years in Windhoek, Namibia where he co-founded a contemporary dance company, Dial Dance Company, with Di Sparks. He subsequently relocated to Cape Town and in 1986 he bought the Jazzart Dance Studios. Over the next two decades he steered and nurtured the establishment of one of South Africa’s premier performing arts training and performance institutions, The Jazzart Dance Theatre. During his tenure as artistic director (June 1986 – Feb 2010) the impact of Jazzart’s work resonated within the South African dance industry both at the level of training and performance.
Participants in the Young Choreographers Residency programme include more experienced dance practitioners working with younger up and coming artists: Kieron Jina, Thabo Rapoo, Lucky Kele, Leigh Nudelman and Bailey Snyman from Johannesburg; Jamila Rodrigues from Cape Town, Vusi Makanya from Durban and Christopher Samuels, Byron Klassen and Illse Samuels from Northern Cape. “I am looking forward to working with these young dance practitioners”, said Hinkel “and I hope to ‘shift’ them on many and various levels”.
Performances of Hinkel’s new work on the main programme of Dance Umbrella 2012 are on February 21, 22 and 23 at the Market Theatre at 19:30. Dansmetdieduiwels, created by Hinkel with assistant choreographer John Linden, is the story of a young man from the Northern Cape who had an affinity for working with young people, and how his intentions were misunderstood and ultimately caused tragedy! This programme is not for persons under the age of 16.
Dance Umbrella 2012 extends a thank you to its many partners, without whom the festival would not have been presented: The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (Principal funder); The National Arts Council; Goethe-Institut Johannesburg; Rand Merchant Bank; Embassy of Belgium Delegation of the Flemish Government, French Institute of South Africa; French Consul; Culture Dutch Flemish Diary in South Africa; BASA and Joburg. The Dance Forum also thanks Splitbeam the Theatre and Professional Rental Specialists for the technical back-up at the Dance Factory. Other technical partners include Matrix Sound, Avstage and Innovation.
Bookings for Dance Umbrella 2012 performances at the Wits Theatre, Market Theatre and the Dance Factory can be made by calling Computicket - 083 915 8000 / www.computicket.com.
Bookings for performances at the Goodman on Main at Arts on Main and the Old Johannesburg Stock Exchange can be made by calling 011 492 2033.
Ticket prices range from R30 to R100.
For Block booking discounts and Dance Umbrella 2012 hot-line for programme updates call 083 570 3083.
For information please contact: 011 492 0709/2033 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it / www.artslink.co.za/arts / www.danceumbrella.co.za
