My recent visit to South Africa was one of those experiences so intense that I have a burning desire to return.
It all started when I saw South African choreographer and solo artist, Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe perform as part of Dance Umbrella in 1999. Shortly afterwards, I struck up a dialogue with Moving into Dance Mophatong (MIDM) with whom Vincent was associate artistic director. Together we developed an idea for an exchange, which would involve mutual skills sharing. In February of this year, with the support of MIDM, the British Council (South Africa, Britain and South Africa Dancing Programme) and a Lisa Ullmann Travel Scholarship, I finally arrived in Johannesburg.
MIDM is a fascinating organisation; an arts facility developed to break down the barriers built up by apartheid. It comprises an international performing company and a dance school (training young people primarily from the townships as well as offering open classes); and also supports formal classroom learning through creative dance methodology. MIDM has produced some of South Africa's most formidable and critically acclaimed dance artists and choreographers including Vincent, Gregory Maqoma, Moeketsi Koena, Portia Mashigo, Shanell Winlock, to name but a few.
For two months, I immersed myself in MIDM - embarking on a dynamic intensive training programme comprising company class with MID Mophatong Performance Company and the Community Dance Teacher Training Course (CDTTC). The course included classes in African, Afrofusion and contemporary dance, body conditioning, anatomy and physiology, anthropology, teaching methodologies and music. What an extraordinary place MIDM turned out to be - the students, staff, teacher trainers, dance company members - all came together to support my trip so that, by the time I left, I felt very much part of the fabric of the building. In return, I offered a wide range of lectures and workshops in arts management to CDTTC students, third year drama students at the University of Witwatersrand and to Soweto-based community arts bodies.
As a dancer of Jamaican heritage working within African dance aesthetics, I have always travelled to the African continent as a source of inspiration, cultural regrounding and to tap into new developments in African dance. My connection to South Africa has always been strong and I knew that artistically, the country had long since been breaking new ground in the dance arena. I was keen to find out who were the key movers and shakers.
I did not have to look far. I found the cutting edge of dance practice at MIDM, at the performances of South Africa's own FNB VITA Dance Umbrella, by hanging out with community groups in the townships, and even watching South African soap operas. It was a unique South-African-ness, a cultural melting pot - Africans, Asians, Europeans - with all the complexities of its traditions, social, economic and political history acutely in tune with contemporary influences from the rest of the world.
The prominent experimentation with contemporary dance, South African traditional dance aesthetics, South Asian dance forms and live art was formidable in its boldness and innovation. It speaks volumes about modern day South Africa, its joys, struggles and future aspirations. I was even more enthralled that many young black dance artists are leading this surge forward.
This was the world into which I had plunged myself and, through MIDM, I grabbed as many opportunities as possible to feed off this energy. I attended additional workshops with American choreographer Ann Crosset (who happened to be in town) and a two-day integrated dance project at the National School of the Arts, as well as watching CDTTC students perform for the prime minister of the Netherlands.
The real challenge for me, though, was to harmonise my teaching, which spanned new and final year students, graduates and professionals within the current political situation. For it appeared that the level of creative growth and development was not in sync with South Africa's burgeoning arts funding system and many artists are still struggling to keep up with the pace of change. I, therefore, had to take a step back to formulate some understanding of the arts in the country in order to make my teaching relevant.
The good news, though, is that the collective energy, enthusiasm, openness and willingness of the participants to engage in debate rendered the lectures and workshops a time for animated discourse, sharing of experience and teamwork and led to new strategies and techniques. One group, in particular, became increasingly aware of how much knowledge they did possess and how they could support each other as a networking group. What is more, they all echoed the sentiment that by having support from a black female represented an important and powerful role model and a strong source of motivation and encouragement for black South Africans.
My experience in South Africa was a source of inspiration and encouragement for me too. I was able to bring the drive and intensity that I gained to the studio to create a new solo piece, Seeking the Horizon, with Jamaican choreographer Jackie Guy. In some ways, my encounter with South African's creativity is integral to the piece.
I stayed with one of the MIDM dancers in Johannesburg, jumped on those crazy taxi-buses everyday, and sometimes stayed in the Soweto and Langa townships. Walking around the streets of central Johannesburg was daunting at first; someone described it to me as 'Manhattan in Africa'! It is a thriving cultural centre - arts, media, music, fashion - at the forefront of the arts and popular culture as much as London, Paris or New York. What an opportunity it was to be part of that whilst giving something back.
Diane Mitchell, performer, arts manager and consultant. Email: diane_arts@yahoo.co.uk
For information on Moving into Dance Mophatong visit www.midance.co.za