Remembering contemporary dance

On February 21, the arts and dance community gathered at the Soweto Theatre for a special memorial service of the late dance icon, Dada Masilo on the day that would have been her 40th birthday. Masilo passed away late December 2024 and it still feels surreal that she is no longer with us.

“Grief, at its worst, is unreal. And it calls for a surreal response,” says poet Ocean Vuong.   

Friends, collaborators, mentors shared messages of remembrance including singer and performer, Ann Masina; choreographer and teacher, Alfred Hinkel who helped establish Jazzart Dance Theatre and mentored Masilo in 2003 in preparation of for her training in performance at P.A.R.T.S (Performing Arts Research and Training Studios) in Brussels, Belgium; founding member and artistic director of The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative, PJ Sabbagha and curator and artistic director of the Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience, Lliane Loots.

Special dance performance snippets dedicated to Masilo were rendered including the finale of Black Circus of the Republic of Bantu, Masilo’s most loved section of the production by Albert Silindokuhle Ibokwe Khoza; an extract from Trapped by Gaby Saranouffi; Symbiosis by Vuyani Dance Theatre specially curated to honour Masilo’s life and a beautiful extract from Joburg Ballet’s Salomé, Masilo’s final commissioned work based on the Oscar Wilde play.

Known for her fast and electrifying dance, Masilo became iconic for infusing her Africanness to great ballet classics such as Carmen, Hamlet, The Rite of Spring and Romeo and Juliet for innovative interpretations. Respectful of European music and dance traditions, she danced with the conviction of her own voice, leading with the emotions that her body emitted on stage. Her last work, The Sacrifice delved into her Setswana heritage.

She leaves a void, our Dada. And as we comfort ourselves with the warmth of her legacy, let’s also remember the dance that we do have.

Here are some contemporary dance events to look forward to:

• Jazzart Dance Theatre’s Meraki Festival

The 51 year old Jazzart Dance Theatre launches the Meraki Dance Festival to celebrate all dance forms in SA. Meraki means “to do something with soul, creativity, or love; to leave a piece and essence of yourself in your work”. The festival aims to showcase SA stories through the works of established and emerging choreographers such as Sifiso Kweyama, Sbo Ndaba, Shaun Oelf, MANACAN, Lihle Mfene, Gain Collective, Imbewu, as well as Chloé Blair from Joburg Ballet.

Dates: February 27 — March 1

Venue: Artscape Theatre, Cape Town

Tickets: R150 per person per night or R300 festival pass at Webtickets

• Itrotra-Map Dance Festival 2025

The third edition of the Itrotra-Map Dance Festival South Africa is a presentation by the Itrotra Art X Connection in collaboration with Wits Theatre and the Market Theatre. It continues the artistic exchange between SA and Madagascar with a line-up of professional dance companies and experts from SA, Madagascar and France.

Dates: March 3 — 16

Venues: Wits Theatre, Market Theatre, Bapedi Community Hall and schools in Soweto

Tickets: R50 for students and R150 for adults at Webtickets or box office

• My Body My Space Public Arts Festival

The My Body My Space (MBMS) celebrates 10 years as an innovative public arts festival curated by the Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative. Centring contemporary dance and performance art, it takes place in public spaces throughout the Emakhazeni Local Municipality fostering job creation opportunities and developing a vibrant arts and culture tourism sector in the region. It provides a socially relevant programme of cutting-edge work of the highest calibre from local and international dancers, choreographers and multidisciplinary performers. This year’s highlights include Oupa Sibeko, Songezo Mcilizeli, Vincent Mantsoe, Lulu Mlangeni, Fana Tshabalala and Huge Sillytoe.

Dates: March 10 — 15

Venue: Various venues and public spaces across Emakhazeni, Mpumalanga

Tickets: Free event

• Vincent Mantose’s Desert Poems

Internationally acclaimed SA born and France based dancer and choreographer, Vincent Mantsoe, presents his new work Desert Poems, in April. The contemplative dance draws inspiration from the stark beauty and mystique of desert landscapes. With original music composed by Mantsoe, alongside additional music from The Dizu Plaatjies Ibuyambo, the production captures the essence of resilience, survival and the raw allure of an environment defined by its extremity.

Dates: April 11 & 12 

Venue: UJ Arts Centre, Auckland Park

Tickets: Quicket and UJ Arts and Culture