Absolutely Scintillating dance: Mamela Nyamza

Mamela Nyamza, last weeks artist of the week is a true dance activist - speaking through her medium in ways that are often provocative and controversial, but at the same time beautiful and technically virtuosic.
The more I read about her and watch her choreography, the more I am entranced by her concepts, use of imagery and use of Western and African forms.

I couldn't be more excited to see Hatch(ed) at the National Art's Festival, a follow up to her previous work, titled: Hatch. Hatch was performed to rave reviews, with critics applauding Mamela's individuality, spellbinding stage presence and gifted dancing. Described as "a dance experience portraying critically-acclaimed Mamela Nyamza’s life story", Hatch is a deeply personal story about Mamela's personal journey as a Xhosa and  South African woman who asserts her ideas of what it means to navigate one's identity in such a context. Mamela is trully, as Drummond Marais writes, "a worthy member of our country’s burgeoning theatrical constellation".

Follow this link to check out her interpretation of the dying swan in an episode of Superstars of Dance. Absolutely sublime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AswRJtS9_eg