Ebhudlweni Arts Centre: Artist in Residence online intervention
The annual four-week Artist in Residence / AIR Programme at the Ebhudlweni Arts Centre in rural Mpumalanga. South Africa, will this year be conducted as an online intervention from 1 – 27 June 2020.
The participating artists were selected by an open call in South Africa and through the Forgotten Angel Theatre Collaborative partner network in neighbouring SADC countries. The virtual residency will focus on a process of creative research and the production of new dance-based works.
Artists are presented with a programme of master classes and workshops, offered by experts in the fields of dance and performance practices and dance making. The programme includes a range of creative and choreographic interventions to stimulate the development of innovative approaches and strategies for the making of original art works.
The 2020 programme will be offered online through the popular ZOOM platform, and commissioned facilitators are redesigning their creative provocations to effectively translate to an online, real-time engagement. Artists will be introduced to a new set of inspirations and creative process, all facilitated and guided by industry leaders, offering an invaluable learning and professional advancement opportunity. This will include daily workshops, followed by creative task setting and one-on-one mentorship and support.
In addition to developing their own practice and new work, participating artists will benefit from engagement with other young artists and extending their creative partnerships and networks, a vital component of their artistic and creative sustainability.
Following self-driven creative research and development, each week will conclude with a ZOOM virtual showing/sharing of “works in progress” by the participating artists, creating an opportunity for interrogation, feedback and mentorship led by PJ Sabbagha and contributing facilitators.
The AIR 2020 faculty include Athena Mazarakis, Thalia Laric, Gerard Bester and David April and holding facilitator PJ Sabbagha, with additional inputs from FATC team members, Tshego Khutsoane, Nichola Aphane and Shawn Mothupi.
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Samwel Japhet Silas – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Samwel Japhet is a dance-movement artist from Tanzania with a Diploma in contemporary and Tanzanian traditional dances from MuDa Africa Dance School in Tanzania. He is a founding member and Artistic director of Nantea Dance Company and Co-managing director of Contemporary Dance Night, a platform for young Tanzania and African contemporary dance artists in Tanzania. During his professional training he worked with international choreographers and artists from different backgrounds. Following his graduation, he has continuously participating in projects, festivals, trainings and residencies around the world including the UK, South Korea, Ethiopia, Germany, South Africa, Japan, Senegal, Portugal, Rwanda, Russia, Uganda and Kenya.
Tinashee Jeri – Harare, Zimbabwe
Harare-based dancer, choreographer and teacher Tinashee Jeri graduated from the Dance Trust of Zimbabwe in 2015, and has performed on international platforms in South Africa, Belgium, German and Zambia. A dedicated dance and acting teacher as well as choreographer, Tinashee is currently assistant creative director of ADW, a dance teacher and choreographer at Anesu arts and a dancer with Afrikera Dance Company.
Janeth Mulapha – Maputo, Mozambique
Maputo-based dancer and choreographer Janeth Mulapha has a background in contemporary dance and has been deepening her knowledge of traditional African dance. She is a founding member of the contemporary dance company Culturarte, and has had the opportunity to participate in training guided by many renowned choreographers such as Boyzie Cekwana, David April, David Zambrano, Thomas Hauert, George Khumalo, Horacio Macuacua, Faustin Linyekula, Mat Vooter, Sello Pesa, as well as workshops with many teachers in P.A.R.T.S. She has participated in many noteworthy productions, and is currently focused on gender and eldred as a in her repertoire.
