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KZN DanceLink’s Giyani Lusha 2011 – Sunday July 24 Photos by Karen Lotter Photos by Debbie Reynolds A balmy Sunday afternoon and the blue Indian Ocean set the stage for another uplifting Giyani Lusha performance on July 24 at the Amphimarket Pavilion Site, North Beach. An appreciative audience, ranging in age from eight months to 80 years, gathered to watch two colourful dance performances by around 130 children who had spent several weekends rehearsing for the big day. With choreography by the acclaimed Flatfoot Dance Company, the jubilant brand new dance piece was inspired by the South African Children’s Rights Charter.  Llaine Loots, the Artistic Director of Flatfoot Dance Company, and the members of the company.(Photo by Karen Lotters) Participating groups were all members of KZN DanceLink: 12 of them drawn from the community and two from children’s homes where KZN DanceLink runs weekly dance workshops. They were each asked to engage with one of the articles from the Children’s Rights Charter. Some were novice dancers; others showed how many years of participating in the annual KZN DanceLink outreach programme had honed their performance skills. Titled “All Children Have a Right To …” the work was choreographed by S'fiso Magesh Ngcobo, Jabu Siphika, Sifiso Khumalo, Thobeka Quvane and Mlondi Zondi The dance groups involved were Dudlu Ntombi, Hheshe Nsizwe, Siyakhula, KwaMashu School of Dance, The Young Ones, Igugu Lubasha Cleremont, Igugu Lubasha Saturday, Bright Sparks, Ubuhle Besintu, Wentworth Dance Movement, God’s Golden Acre and the Aryan Benevolent Home. “While the base for the work was dance, we also integrated text, spoken word and musical voice into the performance,” said artistic director Lliane Loots. “The process encouraged the children to allow their voices to be heard and expressed. “We used South African and African musical scores that echoed the themes and ideas, fluidly edited by company technical manager Clare Craighead to create a work that had a seamless flow.” So impressed was the audience, that many stayed to watch the second performance which followed an upbeat musical interlude by the Glenwood School Band. Giyani Lusha, one of KZN DanceLink’s most successful projects, is staged annually in July in celebration of the province’s youth. Giyani Lusha 2011 was made possible by funding from the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund and the KZN Arts and Culture Council. |
