Rickshaws, Rhythm, and Rebellion at JOMBA!
By Hambisani Goge
This year’s JOMBA! LEGACY ARTIST, Robyn Orlin, makes a triumphant return to Durban with her latest work, “we wear our wheels with pride and slap your streets with colour… we said ‘bonjour’ to Satan in 1820”. Currently making its Durban premiere at the UKZN Sneddon Theatre, this provocative piece has been in development since 2021 with dancers from Moving Into Dance and marks a powerful exploration of the city’s rickshaw culture. Orlin’s work will continue to captivate audiences when it moves to Johannesburg’s Market Theatre from 11–14 September.
Orlin, known for her audacious and boundary-breaking approach to dance, challenges audiences to reconsider the role and representation of Durban’s rickshaw pullers. Her title alone is a statement — a vibrant, yet confrontational call that blends pride with historical critique, compelling viewers to confront the often-overlooked stories of exploitation and resilience tied to these cultural icons on Durban’s beachfront.
Multimedia plays a critical role in this performance, with Eric Perroys’ projections turning the stage into a canvas of bright, animated colours that reflect Orlin’s directive to “slap your streets with colour.” These projections are more than mere backdrop; they interact with the performers, multiplying their movements in stunning visual displays that echo the layered histories of Durban’s streets. Suspended cans and reflective elements create a kaleidoscopic effect, pushing the visual impact of the work.
The dancers — Sunnyboy Motau, Oscar Buthelezi, Eugene Mashiyane, Leseho Dihemo, Sbusiso Gumede, and Teboho Letele — perform with magnetic energy, their movements finely tuned to the interplay of light, sound, and projection. Each moment on stage is thoughtfully choreographed and crafted, with dancers placing cloths and headdresses under a projector, turning these simple items into potent symbols of transformation. The precise alignment of costume, light, and projection creates a living artwork that feels constantly in motion. It is transformation in motion, and it is breathtaking to see!
Adding to the multisensory impact are the contributions of vocalist Anelisa Stuurman and multi-instrumentalist Yogin Sullaphen. Stuurman’s powerful vocals, reminiscent of South African television dramas, and Sullaphen’s instrumental rhythms deepen the emotional intensity of the performance, creating a seamless blend of sound and movement. Their music not only complements the dance but draws the audience deeper into the narrative, transforming the performance into an immersive experience.
Orlin’s work is not merely a dance performance; it’s an invitation to dialogue with Durban’s past, present, and future. Her tribute to the rickshaw pullers is a celebration of beauty and resilience, challenging viewers to see these figures beyond their tourist attraction façade. The performance’s culmination — a spontaneous, abstract painting that unfolds on screen as the dancers move — captures the ongoing, evolving nature of cultural identity, much like Orlin’s fearless approach to dance.
I feel privileged to have experienced this work at home! JOMBA! truly is a shining light in Durban, bringing work to our audiences that we may never otherwise get to experience!
This Durban premiere is a testament to Orlin’s enduring impact on South African dance and a reminder of art’s power to provoke, evoke and inspire. Audiences have one last chance to catch this remarkable work in Durban on 8 September before it moves to Johannesburg’s Market Theatre from 11–14 September. Booking is through Computicket.
