Alliance Française de Durban: Sat 12 Aug, 3pm – 6pm
Two high-energy, visionary young dancers: Cue Ngema and Nosipho Mkhize, are assembling a stellar line up of independent Durban-based multi-media creatives in a glorious afternoon showcase of poetry, music, dance, drama, visual art, painting and design entitled Salute African Goddess, on Saturday 12 August from 3pm until 6pm at the Alliance Française de Durban, to honour Women’s Month.
Ngema and Mkhize have invested huge care and energy in curating a programme of performers, art-makers and innovators who don’t regularly appear on stage together. Their line-up includes some of the best seasoned professionals, foreign nationals, emerging talent and fringe performers to ensure the programme is interesting, innovative, fresh and meaningful.
Although much of the work speaks particularly to women’s issues, the participants are men and women, youthful and experienced, cross-cultural and multi-lingual.
“We want to salute and honour our women through our artistry, and to provide a platform for some really exciting performers and artists,” enthused Cue Ngema.
Nqubeko “Cue” Ngema is a 23 year old post-graduates from Durban University of Technology. He studied drama and performance studies, specializing in Dance and Educational Theatre. He also has been part of the Flatfoot Dance Company’s Training programme during his varsity studies. He has participated in Jomba, Dance Umbrella, Grahamstown National Art Festival and Dance Drama festivals . He is recently under Phakama dance theatre in playhouse doing his one year dance teaching internship.
Nosipho Mkhize obtained a Bachalor’s Degree in Drama, Performance Studies and Music at the University of KwaZulu Natal. She trained in contemporary dance at the Flatfoot Contemporary Dance Training Company and learnt basic ballet techniques at the Mary-Anne Salvage Ballet School. In 2014, Nosipho started a small community arts project called Born to Dance Youth Programme, now registered as Dance Life Africa, where she taught contemporary dance at University of Zululand. Nosipho is currently training under the Phakama Dance Theatre at the Playhouse Theatre Company. In her spare time when she’s not dancing, she’s a model and a copywriter for Algorhythmlab, a digital marketing company.
When funding support wasn’t forthcoming, the two dancers remained committed to staging the event and decided to produce the event themselves. Nosipho, a competent and skilled baker, started a cake business from home, Gloryart Café, as she plans to later on build her small cake business into a full running, glorious arts café filled with entertainment and fashion boutiques. To fund the project, Nosipho daily bakes cakes and delicacies which Cue Ngema and friends sell. The revenue generated from this entrepreneurial endeavour is funding Salute African Goddess.
Listings:
Salute African Goddess
Date: Saturday 12 August
Time: 3pm until 6pm
Venue: Alliance Francaise de Durban
22 Sutton Crescent
For more info: 062 361 8950
Entry: R50 – includes free drink
Students with ID: R25
