BEYOND BOUNDARIES, EMBRACING THE DANCE-ABILITIES OF ALL
By Esese Kunene
JOMBA! 2023’s diverse rhythms celebrate unity in motion. Joseph Tebandeke is an Ugandan contemporary dancer who is differently abled and uses crutches to walk. Tebandeke was born with a differently abled body, which did not stop him from doing what he loves and sharing his story with the world. During his performance “Time Machine: Unveiling the Inner Strength”, he displayed a lot of crutches on stage, all different shapes and sizes. All these crutches symbolise the long journey that he has had with them. Tebandeke says his crutches are a big part of his life because he cannot walk without them. They help him reach any destination he wishes to. During the performance he moved around the stage talking to the base of different crutches on stage. It is as if his body remembers the memories he had created with each of the crutches displayed on stage. There is a movement that he did where he took one of his crutches and pointed at the audience. It seems he was trying to confront the audience into really thinking in-depth about what they were seeing unfold on stage. He then continues to forcefully break one of his crutches by smashing it against the stage floor. This could be interpreted as breaking the stereotype of what orwhich bodies can dance. Breaking the stereotype that only able bodies can dance. He then continued to move around the stage collecting the broken pieces of the crutches and started to fix them piece by piece, later on using the mended crutch to walk. I believe this was his way of telling us that he is not broken and he does not need to be fixed. He is only differently abled and that is powerful enough.
The second performance was Unmute Dance Theatre with their work “TIMELAPSE” by three differently abled bodies. This performance had a red chandelier cloth that was in the middle of the stage, binding down two of the three dancers on the stage. Andile Vellem pulled them towards himself, dragging them on the stage and untied them. They then began to move freely and with great physicality. It could symbolise unity, love and family as they went from different sides of stage following the spot lights, holding each other with care and support. The work offered an idea that if we are able to help and support one another, we can be a better world.
The two performances used differently abled dancers showcasing their talents and sharing their personal experiences with the world; differently abled bodies being given a chance to be themselves and sharing who they really are.
