Some of South Africa’s most talented young dancers will ignite the Artscape stage early this July when they perform in Jazzart Dance Theatre’s annual celebration of dance, Danscape.

This year’s production sees the combined talents of Cape Town’s top dance schools and companies, including Dance For All, the Cape Academy of Performing Arts, iKapa Dance Theatre, the Vadhini Indian Arts Academy, La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre, the Wilvan School of Dance, the Sibonelo Dance Project and the Cape Youth Dance Company 34/18.

The Cape Town artists will be joined by dancers from the Durban-based KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre who will make their Danscape debut.  They are dedicating their dance performance to choreographer and former Jazzart dancer, Sbonakaliso Ndaba. Audiences can look forward to innovative new works incorporating contemporary, modern, Spanish and traditional Indian styles as well as an exciting collaboration between dancers from La Rosa and Wilvan when they perform together for the first time.

Danscape provides a platform for up and coming dancers and choreographers to showcase their talent and also serves as a fund-raising initiative to raise awareness and funding for the many community arts projects that Jazzart has running throughout the Western Cape. Jazzart artistic director, Jackie Manyaapelo, explains that Danscape was originally devised as a springboard for young people wishing to launch their careers in the entertainment and arts industries. “This season continues Jazzart’s decade-long tradition of growing influential dancers and nurturing innovative young dance-makers, but imbues it with a fresh approach whereby past performers explore and experiment with their own ‘voices’ as dance-makers and choreographers,” says Manyaapelo.

In keeping with this tradition, Jazzart will be awarding a percentage of ticket sales to one particularly talented participant. “This award is designed to acknowledge the dedication of Danscape participants and also demonstrates Jazzart’s on-going commitment to advancing the medium of dance in communities throughout the Western Cape,” Manyaapelo adds.

Venue: Artscape, DF Malan St, Cape Town. Tel: 083 915 8000.
Time: see below
Price: R45- R65
Performances: Thursday, 7 July at 20:15,Friday, 8 July at 20:15; and two shows on Saturday, 9 July at 15:00 and at 20:15. Final show Sunday, 10 July at 18:00
Genre: Dance