Evoking community, holding space… breath and vulnerability
by Marcia Mzindle (Guest Writer)
On the 5th of September, JOMBA! Legacy Artist for 2022, Vincent Mantsoe’s black and white dance film CUT (Part 1) screened as part of the festival’s “AFRICAN DIGITAL VOICES” platform.
The digital screen dance which was made in 2020, under lockdown conditions was also part of the first entirely “Digital JOMBA!” that year.
Obscure and, at times, haunting sounds play… Mantsoe moves in solitude, his focus tangible. The quality of his movement is rich and grounded, ripe with African flavour and precision. The constant play with editing often places him in frames boxing him — it is strange to see Mantsoe “boxed in”…the confinement of lockdown. The mood of the work is hopeful but also sombre speaking to the fragility caused by isolation.
This performance really tugs at the core of self. It also generously, and gently gives us an overview of the importance of community and communion. The modern world, driven through capitalism and gross self indulgence, often punted as self care has made many divorce from this community. CUT (part 1) is a call to remembering that we are not islands, we do not, or rather, should not operate from a place of singularity nor stand alone. A remembering of ‘I am because you are’. A plea for introspection and facing the shadow self so they live in duality with our light. To embrace the vulnerability, fickleness and fragility and to cherish the obscurity of it all.
The beauty in the silence and wrestling our inner demons for that brings forth truths, hopes, new learnings and love. To heal, to forgive, to renew and to be fully present and whole. For these experiences and in accepting of ourselves and our community we are left uncut…not separated or divided. We are left perfectly whole with the understanding that sometimes our sole purpose for the day is just to breathe in order to heal. To breathe in order to realign with the divine purpose or breathe to remember our mortality. So remember to breathe, remember community and remember too that you are not alone.
Catch this year’s JOMBA! Legacy Artist: Vincent Mantsoe in his new live solo titled Koma which will have its final performance today 10 September at 2.30pm on at Durban’s Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
