In memory of Nhlanhla's grandmother, CHANT tells a personal story, journeying from the suburbs of Alberton to the squatter camp in Phola Park during the 80’s and 90’s.
CHANT was first commissioned by the Juliedans Artist’s Lab in 2010 and premiered at the Juliedans Festival in Amsterdam in 2011. Other performance include Goethe on Main and Dance Umbrella Festival in 2012; the Jomba! Festival in 2015; and Season 2 at the Centre for the Less Good Idea in 2017, in which Nhlanhla was a guest curator.
VENUE : AFDA Red Roof Theatre, AFDA JHB Campus, 41 Frost Avenue, Milpark.
* This event is part of the IYABUYA iPOPArt Festival, which is supported by the National Arts Council of South Africa PESP funding.
Photographs by Nina Lieska | Repro Pictures
Director of Song and Dance Works, Mahlangu is a graduate in Theory and Practice of Dance Teaching from Moving Into Dance Mophatong and has over 20 years of professional performance and administration in Theatre, Dance, Dance Theatre, and Dance Education.
Mahlangu has made great strides in the performing arts industry as a choreographer, actor, singer, poet, dancer, teacher, administrator and composer. His extraordinary work has been seen all over Africa, North America, South America, Asia and Europe.
Of note is his extraordinary ability to compose music from raw talent – his versatility as an artist has seen him being commissioned to work with numerous multi-awarding winning artists including Richard Cock, Gregory Vuyani Maqoma, Sylvia Glasser, Vincent Mantsoe, Jay Pather, Des and Dawn Lideberg, Robyn Orlin, James Ngcobo, Victor Ntoni Hugh Masekela and many more. He has delved across the spectrum of dance - Dance Theatre and Dance Education.
The chamber opera 'Waiting for the Sybil' for which he composed, has most recently been nominated for the auspicious Olivier Theatre Award for best new opera.
His critically acclaimed series of personal works in 'CHANT!' span decade, and performed and studied the world over.
