IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES
By Lauren Noble (Guest Writer)
“Before dance became art, before it tried to express anything, before it was a ceremony or a technique, it was a game.” — Joshua Monten, choreographer
With JOMBA! gearing up to commemorate its 25th year, it’s time for us to dig a little deeper into the 13 jam-packed days of world class contemporary dance experiences on offer. This milestone edition of the festival is all about (in)tangible heritages, an intriguing curatorial provocation which speaks to the intersectional trajectories of local and international artists as they converge in a multitude of ways. Personally. Politically. Historically. Geographically. Stylistically. What a perfect way to celebrate JOMBA! and its impact on the South African landscape of dance and choreography.
And Game Theory is just that… a celebration! Described as a “kinesthetic portrait of play”, this dance production seeks to reimagine the basic building blocks of play within a choreographic composition. The stage becomes a playground in which oppositional qualities can and must exist side-by-side, where decisions meet consequences, and where flirting with freedom in one moment could become a lesson in losing in the very next.
The Joshua Monten Dance Company has performed in hundreds of productions at festivals and theatres around the world, but it is their exciting work with young people in Switzerland that has ignited something really special for JOMBA! 2023. JG Zuma High School in Inanda and Mason Lincoln Special School in Umlazi are set to experience this groundbreaking production with two exclusive performances taking place over the course of the festival. The South African tour of Game Theory is supported by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and is set to take their place as one of JOMBA’s most unique contemporary dance experiences for younger audiences this year. Educational initiatives like those being curated by and for JOMBA! are an entirely necessary aspect of holistic education for the 21st century child — and I am simply ecstatic to see these initiatives growing with every new festival program. Bravo to everyone who makes these opportunities possible!
To discover more about the phenomenal body of work from The Joshua Monten Dance Company, visit https://joshuamonten.com. To view the JOMBA! 2023 program and support your festival planning, visit https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za.
