The Durban dance community honoured the creativity and dedication of its stars at the Durban Dance Awards at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on October 4.

Presented by KZN DanceLink, with support from the National Arts Council, the awards salute the achievements of dancers and choreographers in the last year.

KZN DanceLink chairman Lynn Maree said while 2009 had perhaps been low key, the standard of dance in the city proved that there was “extraordinary talent bubbling close to the ground all around us”.

“Sometimes there are years of major achievements, sometimes startling new stars appears and sometimes quiet developments and risk-taking and consolidation take place,” said Maree.

She said 2009 was perhaps low-key and the judges reserved the right to make no awards, but she gave special mention to the standard of dance seen from DUT students in Rejected Angels; the enthusiasm and focus of the young people in Giyani Lusha 2009 and Vusi Makanya’s Feel It! Live It! Dance It! plus the experiments and collaborations and the work brought from Reunion in Jomba!

The awards were presented after the final performance of the Flatfoot Dance Company’s Bloodlines – the premier of two groundbreaking dance works by David Gouldie and Lliane Loots.

The coveted award for Choreographer of the Year went to Musa Hlatshwayo for Moses, Giyani Lusha 2009 and Amens!

The award for Costume Design was jointly awarded to Musa Hlatshwayo (Amens!), Sifiso Khumalo (Harsh, harsh my soul), Sifiso Majola (The end is beginning) and Mdu Mtshali (A bird without song).

No awards were made in the categories of Dancer of the Year or Breakthough/Newcomer of the Year.

The nominees were:
Choreographer: Neli Rushualang: The Human Ladder; Musa Hlatshwayo: Moses, Giyani Lusha and Amens!; Vusi Makanya: Feel It! Live It! Dance It!; Mdu Mtshali: A bird without song; Sifiso Majola: The end is beginning and Sifiso Khumalo: “Harsh, harsh, my soul”.
Dancer: Mxolisi Nkomonde and Nkanyiso Kunene, both for The Human Ladder, and Jabu Siphika for Chasing Tales.
Newcomer: Siphiwe Kunene and Noxolo Rushualang of Cato Manor Vibe!!! (Giyani Lusha); KwaMashu School of Dance dancer: Mthokozisi Masango (Feel It! Live It! Dance It!); S’fiso Ndlovu , Thobani Mbhele, Lerato Mafatle and Sazi Buthelezi, Tumelo Khoza, DUT students who danced in Rejected Angels
Costume design: Mdu Mtshali, Musa Hlatshwayo, Sifiso Khumalo and Sifiso Majola.

Nominees

Among the The Durban Dance Awards 2009 nominees were:
From left back Mdu Mtshali; Musa Hlatshawo, Thobani Mbhele, Mxolisi Nkomonde, Vusi Makanya, Jabu Siphika, Nkanyiso Kunene, Lerato Mafatle, Sifiso Khumalo and front from left Mthokozisi Masango, Tumelo Khoza, S’fiso Ndlovu, Sazi Buthelezi

Costume winners

2009 Costume Design winners (from left) Musa Hlatshwayo, Sifiso Khumalo, Mdu Mtshali (not pictured Sifiso Majola). Musa also won the Choreographer of the year Award.

Funding for this has been made available by the National Arts Council.