HATCHED ENSEMBLE is a new work. It is motivated by Mamela Nyamza’s highly acclaimed solo work HATCHED (2007), an autobiographical work in which Nyamza reflects on her life as an artist. HATCHED was Nyamza’s first work to kick-start her artistic signature of referencing and unapologetically deconstructing the norms and standards of the classic dance forms and contemporary approaches. This new work, HATCHED ENSEMBLE, is performed by 10 ballet-trained dancers and includes an opera singer and an African tradition instrumentalist. It conveys deeply personal and challenging issues of tradition and the artists’ evolving place within the creative industries. HATCHED ENSEMBLE speaks to anyone who has felt conflicted about their own identity and where they belong in the status quo.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Concept, Choreographer & Director: Mamela Nyamza
Production Manager & Lighting/Stage Designer: Wilhelm Disbergen
Production Assistant: Buntu Tyali
Assistant Facilitator: Kirsty Ndawo
Opera Singer: Litho Nqai
Traditional Instrumentalist: Azah Mphago
Costume Designer: Bhungane Mehlomakulu
Wardrobe/Costume Maintenance: Nthabiseng Sibiya
Photographer: Vuyo Giba
Ballet Dancers:
Kirsty Ndawo
Kearabetswe Mogotsi
Itumeleng Chiloane
Amuhelang Rooiland
Khaya Ndlovu
Dayan Beukes
Noluyanda Mqulwana
Thami Tshabalala
Zandile Constable
A special thank you to the Market Theatre for the support.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Ms Mamela Nyamza, the choreographer, who is the 2023 JOMBA! Legacy Artist, is formally trained in Ballet, and got further training at the Alvin Ailey New York School of Dance as visiting scholar. This is where Nyamza began to tackle the classical genre of dance, by deconstructing the traditional methods and logic of ballet and contemporary dance. Her ground-breaking works, “The Dying Swan” – innovation in the dance in 1998; “Hatched” – against patriarchy in 2007, and the “The Meal” – against elitist ballet in 2012, are autobiographical works that trample on the norms of the classics. Her other works include: “BLACK PRIVILEGE” – against injustices of women; “PEST CONTROL” – miscarriage of justice within the arts formalized institutions; and her newest work: “GROUNDED” – reflection of contemporary narratives and dramaturgy behind political discourses of dialogue and performance between the contemporary artist and audience. Mamela Nyamza received these awards: chosen as the Featured Artist of the Grahamstown Standard Bank National Arts Festival 2018, a first of its kind for the Dance Art Genre; awarded the FNB Dance Indaba Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer in Contemporary Style for “THE DYING SWAN” in 2000; chosen in 2011 as the Standard Bank Young Artist for the DANCE; in 2016, awarded the IMBOKODO Award for DANCE; and, in 2022, Nyamza received an award from Burkina Faso Festival International de Danse de Ouagadougou (FIDO 2022), the Marraines FIDO 2022. Nyamza was also identified by the DAILY REVIEW article by Shawn Lent in 2018: http://www.dailyreview.com.au. of Australia as one of the 30 International Artists to track in 2018, that are positively changing the world. Nyamza was invited to take part in the Dance Future 11: Focus Pina Bausch 2017 in Germany, where the iconic and visionary dancer, Pina Bausch, was celebrated. For the Seasons 2020 and 2022, Nyamza was temporary based at the Theatre Chatelet, Paris in France as a Choreographer for the African Production Le Vol du Boli, under the direction of Abderrahmane Sissako from Mali. In June 2022, Mamela Nyamza has been appointed as a Curator for the Artistic Programme: Africa, by the Staatstheatre Mainz in Germany, for the Tanz Kongress 22, under the Theme “Sharing Potentials”. The ultimate vision for Nyamza, is to make DANCE, as the genre of the performance art, to convey body politics on all social issues, and not to entertain but to edutain. Hence the creation of HATCHED ENSEMBLE and the establishment of her new non-profit company MAMELAS ARTISTIC MOVEMENT.
