“When you hear the word ‘disabled’ people immediately think about who can’t walk or talk or do everything that people take for granted. Now, I take nothing for granted. But I find the real disability is people who can’t find joy in life and are bitter”. Teri Garr
Luthando takes us through a journey of the stories she sees. She is intrigued to teach and learn through sound, sticks and the different stories told by the visually impaired.
Abled youth use sound to communicate with the visually impaired youth. Choreography is used to travel into different environments, and shows being able to work together – inclusivity. It also connects the stories as a form of transition from one environment to another.
“I do not want to go back to seeing. I have techniques to navigate the world and I am teaching myself how to do things. If I see I again, I will go back to 2005, when I used to see, then I would be left behind because I have learnt so much in my blindness and must start as a person who sees again.” Peter Mabote
PRODUCTION CREDITS
The Director – Gcebile Dlamini
The Choreographer – The late Bigboy Ndlovu (In Remembrance)
Assistant Choreographer – Tshepang Lebelo
Stage Management – Bontle Ndlovu
The Johannesburg Society for The Blind
Facilitator – Nkosana Khubeka
Joburg Child Welfare Thembalethu Inner City Play Project
Facilitator – William Secwammung
ASSITEJ SA – SEF Project
Moving Into Dance Mophatong
First supported by The Goethe Institut South Africa
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
The Director – Gcebile Dlamini
Gcebile Dlamini is a Community Theatre social activist through her theatre directing, writing and an actress born in the mountainous valleys of Swaziland. She obtained in 2019 – 2021 with the University of Witwatersrand for her Masters in Creative Research under Drama for Life which she passed with Distinction and in 2014 – 2015 an Honours Degree in Applied Drama and Theatre under the Drama for Life division at The University of Witwatersrand. Prior to this qualification, she had completed her B-Tech Degree in Drama at the Tshwane University of Technology in 2011. Her first tertiary qualification was a Diploma in Drama which she studied at The Durban University of Technology from 2008–2010. During her studies, she was drawn to theatre directing and Community work with youth resulting in her developing interest in Community Theatre. In her Honours year, she was awarded the Dr. John Kani Theatre for Social Change Award. Her other awards include Naledi Award 2015, Ovation Award 2017, BASA Award 2021 and recently received Nedbank Arts Affinity Award.
The choreographer – Bigboy Ndlovu
The late Big Boy Ndlovu was a 24 years old young man, born and raised in Johannesburg. He was an accredited dancer, performer and a choreographer who was trained at Moving into Dance Mophatong. Bigboy proved his skills and commitment in many productions while participating and working at the Hillbrow Theatre on multiple productions collaborating with leading directors and creatives in the industry. His highlights working as a dancer and choreography includes working with Jean Paul Delore, a French Theatre director who created a production called; A Very Strong Present (2013), Sean Hart, French videographer and graffiti artist (2013), Lindiwe Matshkiza’s The Donkey Child ( where BigBoy was one of the puppeteers on the production who had the opportunity to travel to the National Arts Festival to meet the War House 2014) and engaging Dutch artists; Christiaan Bloem and Annemiek Funneman who created a children’s production, Maarten Mus, and performed at the National Arts Festival. The Stories We See was his last creative contribution to his undoubted talent. Every performance is dedicated to his love and passion for the art. You will always be remembered.
Joburg Child Welfare Thembalethu Inner City Play Project
(JSW) is a programme based in the Johannesburg CBD, at the Old Drill Hall building. The programme falls under the Child Abuse Treatment and Training Services. The objective of the programme is to reduce poverty and inequality by generating employment amongst poor household into sustainable livelihoods and toward economic stability. The centre also runs an after-school programme called the Inner City Play Project, whose primary focus is to assist and develop children from the Inner City. Its main activities include sports, life skills, play training, child-led activities, art classes (including dance, drama and music), and homework assistance.
Johannesburg Society for the Blind
(JSB) is a non-profit organization that depends on donor funding to cater to the needs of blind and partially sighted persons regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or religious affiliation. JSB was founded in 1926 to help civilians who were blinded during World War One, by providing them with accommodation, employment, rehabilitation, and skills of daily living, orientation and mobility. Over the years, the organization has strengthened its mandate by focusing more on building capacity among the visually impaired youths so that they may also play a role in the development of South Africa.
