Dot Blake
JAZZART Dance Theatre’s upcoming production, Meraki, is touted as “a diverse contemporary dance programme that is a vibrant expression of the energy, exuberance, and powerful urgency of youth.”
Set against the backdrop of the fractured past 24-months of social distancing, outright lockdowns and global fear, Meraki is at once an indictment of what we all experienced in this time, and a celebration of the human capacity to triumph over adversity.
Choreographed and rehearsed from their own living rooms, dorms, alone or in small groups, over the course of 2020 and 2021, Jazzart’s 2022 graduate class, have demonstrated their commitment to dance as an artform for expression. It also shows their extraordinary dedication to not squandering the currency they have been given by the theatre company, that has been a central lever in breaking down the barriers of dance in South Africa since 1973.
Meraki is a triple play, choreographed and directed by three of the dance world’s leading lights.
Dane Hurst, Shaun Oelf and Sifiso Kweyama – Jazzart’s future, current and past artistic directors/artists in residence.
I watched from the front of the practice studio, up close and personal with the performers, who with every bead of sweat and pulsation of energy, drew me intricately and infinitely deeper into their story. Even without the benefit of lighting, costume or make-up, the performances were compelling, moving and technically well-executed.
I sometimes prefer to view a piece this way, as the rawness of the performance (without the frills), focuses the mind on the narrative itself. Does it do what the write-up says of it, and in this instance, unequivocally yes.
The session began with Hurst’s Frontline, which looks at people caught up the chaos of our present times and shines a light on those who put themselves on the frontline in support of others. Kweyama’s work, Solid, sensitively interlaces individual stories that progress through life’s intricate journey through united, protective, and nurturing movement, whilst Oelf’s work, ‘Awake’ looks at the notion of being awake and questions the process of consciousness, awareness and wellbeing through an audio-visual dance work that brought the session to a pulsating end.
Whether you’re a classical purist, contemporary enthusiast, or not a dance fan at all, Meraki is a timely piece of visual authoring of our recent history, that will stand the test of time and should be seen for the celebration it is.