Experience the excitement and thrill of live theatre dance at The Playhouse between the 6th and 15th of September 2019, for 10 shows of wonder!

Shall We Dance spans ten days and features talented local and international dancers, like Ryan and Angelique and dance partners Gerhard and Amor.

Audiences will be transported into the glittering world of dance.Our dancers will spend hundreds of hours honing their bodies, craft and routines in preparation for this celebration of the human body and spirit.

Performers of all ages will showcase their carefully choreographed moves in an array of dance genres – expressive freestyle numbers, elegant Latin and ballroom dance, exotic belly-dancing, tap tattoos, charming ballet, hip-hop and much more!

Get your tickets here now: https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1491967977 

Here's sneak preview video: https://www.facebook.com/shallwedancedurban/videos/vl.403926276869959/328093698114503 

See you there! ?

Check out our website, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

A Feast of Flight’s third annual pole dance production presents a twist on the classic “The Wizard of Oz”, as we follow Doug on a journey to complete transformation after running for number one spot in the Emerald City Drag Race. This July join Doug on a trip down the yellow brick road and meet all the weird and wonderful characters he runs into along the way.

From his encounters with the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion, to Glinda the Diva of Oz, the Wicked Witch and the Wizard; Doug experiences a new lease on life when he realises his true self, Doris. A Feast of Flight is a one of a kind extravaganza created and produced by The Pole Project (in Woodstock), presented in collaboration with instructors and students from numerous studios around the city: AIR Fitness Studio (in Bellville), Pole Dance Cape Town (in the CBD), Vertical Secrets (in Table View) and Wild Pole Flow Movement (in Bergvliet).

The first of its kind, A Feast of Flight 2017 was a contemporary play on Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland, where we followed Alistair down a rabbit hole of dubious choices and bad influences until he eventually slayed his "jabberwocky" demons. In 2018, we met the peculiar confectionary maven, Willy Wonka and his famous Oompa Loompas as we followed five competitors battling it out to be the new “face” of the brand.

This year’s show is set to be just as fabulous as years past and the storyline just as quirky. Director of A Feast of Flight and owner of The Pole Project, Kathy Lee, says; There’s no shortage of familiar classic stories and fairy tales to choose from when we start conceptualising a theme.

The trick is to choose a storyline that can be updated to be made more accessible and relevant to a modern-day audience, but that’s also fun and creative to keep the audience enthralled. This year, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ came to mind”. “Of course, every production has its challenges. Trying to bring a story to life through dance and costumes alone is not an easy task.

Then it’s trying to coordinate routines and intense practice sessions between five different studios and performers who are just everyday individuals with full-time jobs. I believe that it is our extreme passion and determination that allows us to produce such a professional production year after year”, Lee continues.

Of the growing contribution of studios from across the city Lee says, “A Feast of Flight was essentially created in order to promote and showcase the artistic and athletic side of pole dance, because not many people regard the art form as such. And it was an opportunity for our students to show off their strength and abilities in front of a captivated audience. However, the event has grown to such an extent that we now have a number of studios on board that share the same vision. The fact that we have other studios expressing an interest in taking part each year is a real testament to the ever-expanding pole dance community and to what we’ve created”.

A Feast of Flight: Doris and the Wizard of Oz will take place on Friday, 26 and Saturday, 27 July from 7pm at the Joseph Stone Auditorium, corner of Protea and Klipfontein Roads in Athlone. Tickets for the event cost R255 per person and can be bought via Quicket (https://qkt.io/doris). Drinks and snacks will be on sale at the event. There will be secure parking provided around the Stadium. The show contains adult themes and parental guidance is advised.

Follow the event on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/2231347646955118/ or follow The Pole Project on Facebook @The Pole Project, Twitter @thepoleproject and Instagram @thepoleproject.

For more information contact The Pole Project on 021 461 0215, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.thepoleproject.co.za.

Every music video and every concert have a single common thread that runs between them, dance. We’ve all watched in awe as someone moves perfectly in sync to the rhythm and beats of our favourite songs.

Music feeds the soul and sets your feet ablaze with boundless possibilities. Every moment and every beat allow you to explore movement and sometimes, with a little direction those movements turn into a masterpiece. Delta Webster-Choshi, better known as Delta The Leo, shares her knowledge of dance with youths across various landscapes of South Africa.

Combining her passion for dance with that of children, she continues to give of her time to teach the children at Thusong Youth Centre through her company Live.Learn.Inspire Dreamworks and #ChabaRebone movement. Each class is not simply a lesson in dance but is a holistic approach to life focusing on good health, building character and confidence, team spirit and hard work. Mentored by Delta and business-partner Sherole Webster-Choshi and various guests, the two hope to help each child envision and begin to pave the way to a future that not only sees them being academically groomed but well-rounded young adults. “The aim is for us is to give each of these talented children the tools to follow their dreams and instill in them the belief that their dreams are valid,” says Sherole of their passion for the Thusong Youth Centre.

#ChabaRebone has become more than just Delta The Leo’s latest single; it has given rise to a movement that aims to have people exude their talent (wherever it lies) and show it off for the world to see. “Giving every person who enters the class the room to be their truest selves without care or concern for the opinions of others, for me is a blessing. Helping them find their inner confidence is an experience I cherish as I get to watch them blossom weekly,” says Delta. “The most heart-breaking part of getting to know each of these individuals is to learn that often they attend class on an empty stomach as this is often their only option.”

Thusong Youth Centre could really use your help. If you have cleared out your closet recently or can donate food to assist in providing towards meals, your assistance would be most appreciated. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details.

Join the #ChabaRebone dance workshops:

Every Saturday morning from 11:00 – 14:00 Thusong Youth Centre in Alexandra. All are welcome; young or old, professional and non-professional dancers.

#METAMORPHOSIS is UJ Arts & Culture’s 2018 programme of change.

“Looking at our creative programme through this thematic lens is the ideal stimulus for alignment with the University’s drive to participate meaningfully in decolonisation and transformation,” says Pieter Jacobs, Head of Arts & Culture (a division of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture) at the University of Johannesburg.

Drawing inspiration from the theme of #METAMORPHOSIS has seen UJ Arts & Culture plan to change more than its content. The 2018 programme features two brand new festivals as well as new partnerships that will increase opportunities for the university community, creative industries and the public to experience and participate in the arts. The programme is diverse, ranging from jazz, poetry and youth arts festivals to a music concert series, stand-up comedy shows, drama and dance seasons and an exhibitions programme.

"It is a great responsibility to play a role in shaping leaders of the future. And what better tool than the arts to develop the emotional and cultural intelligence to harness the knowledge and skills we acquire as we go through life,” says Jacobs. To this end, UJ Arts & Culture offers students and staff a robust programme to participate in the arts. Through the UJ Arts Academy, students, alumni and staff have access to a range of free dance and acting classes, poetry and drumming sessions or they could audition for theatre productions, the UJ Choir, UniJoh Chorale, jazz band, wind band or orchestra. Its student offering would not be complete without the hugely popular student talent competition presented annually and group tours to festivals and celebrations.

A key component of UJ Arts & Culture’s activities is its annual interdisciplinary collaborative FADA programme, launched in 2017 by the Dean of the Faculty, Professor Federico Freschi. Once again, this programme will see more than 300 students from departments across the faculty get involved in different design aspects of a UJ Arts & Culture-produced play as part of their course work.

“UJ Arts & Culture’s #METAMORPHOSIS programme is designed to advance the University’s vision of an international institution of choice, anchored in Africa, dynamically shaping the future. Bolstered by PhD residencies, local and international performing arts residencies, lectures, workshops and conferences, the Division strives to offer world-class opportunities to experience, participate in, and for empowerment through the arts,” concludes Jacobs.

#METAMORPHOSIS promises to appeal to art lovers with diverse interests:

VISUAL ART

Exhibitions Programme
For the fourth year in a row UJ Arts & Culture’s exhibitions programme will feature the PPC Imaginarium Awards. These awards, established by PPC Ltd, offer emerging designers and artists a platform to showcase their talent and creativity through the use of cement as a primary medium.

In May, the 300 Art Ornaments exhibition will showcase over 250 pieces collected by the UJ Jewellery Design and Manufacture Department over the past 10 years.
UJ Art Gallery in partnership with the Bag Factory will play host to Brazillian curator Daniella Géo, who delves into the Bag Factory’s alumni archives. TRANS will showcase the impact Bag Factory’s alumni have had on the art scene and the role it played in connecting the Johannesburg with the rest of Africa and the world.
UJ Arts & Culture, in collaboration with the MTN Foundation SA, presents Continuing Conversations, following the 2017 collaborative Shifting Conversations exhibition. The conversations continue in 2018, with works derived from both the MTN and UJ art collections as well as emerging artists with an addition of a mentorship and educational programme.
The 2018 UJ Arts Gallery calendar is set to close on a high with the celebration of 21 Years of The Ampersand Foundation, which rewards excellence in the visual arts by granting fellowships to young professional South African contemporary visual artists. Curator Gordon Froud brings works completed by such fellows together in this exhibition.

MUSIC

UJ Concert Series
Kicking off the UJ Concert Series is the re-launch of the University’s Steinway Concert Grand with Steinway artists Christopher Duigan, Charl du Plessis and Jill Richards featuring the rising star, Sulayman Human, in concert.

Presented in partnership with Pro Helvetia Johannesburg, Swiss group Hildegard Lernt Fliegen (Hildegard Learns to Fly) is a Swiss formation of avant-garde jazz, headlined by singer Andreas Schaerer. In 2014, the band received the BMW Welt Jazz Award, and subsequently toured Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Luxembourg, China, Italy, Finland, UK and France.

The programme will culminate in FADA’s major fundraising drive in support of the Dean’s Bursary Fund. Presented annually on the first Saturday of November, A Grand Night for Singing will feature familiar and new voices, the UJ Choir and the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra.

UJ Choir

In addition to performing at more than 20 graduation ceremonies and special events, the UJ Choir will perform alongside Hope College (USA) at the Rosebank Catholic Church and with Akustika Chamber Singers at SABC's M1 Studio in May. The highlight for UJ Choir's 2018 calendar includes, competing in the much-anticipated World Choir Games in early July.

UJ Choir, Tuks Camerata, and Puk-Koor will be performing in Koorkaleidoscope at the University of Pretoria's Musaion in August. UJ Choir's annual programme wraps up with its customary end year Celebration Concert at the end of October.

FESTIVALS

UJ Weekend of Jazz
Presented in celebration of Africa Day, the inaugural UJ Weekend of Jazz, is scheduled to take place at the UJ Art Centre from 24-26 May. This urban jazz experience, is set to cast a spotlight on exceptionally skilled emerging jazz musicians who are not afraid to experiment or disrupt the notion of jazz.

National Arts Festival
Keeping up the tradition, UJ Arts & Culture will present a substantive programme at the National Arts Festival with the translation of Reza de Wet’s iconic African Gothic (translation of Diepe Grond) headlining the UJ programme, which includes Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney, a music concert and STAGED, a new play development showcase.
UJ Youth Arts Festival
The new festival will cast a spotlight on some of the best new creative voices with students from other institutions, colleges and youth groups joining UJ Arts & Culture students in a showcase of acting, singing, dancing and making music. The festival will be hosted at the UJ Art Centre as well as at the Con Cowan Theatre in August.

Izimbongi Poetry Festival
UJ Arts & Culture’s grand finale after a year-long slam poetry programme with students, school learners and the public will take shape in the form of a week-long poetry festival featuring performances by professional and amateur spoken word artists, book launches, lectures, forum discussions and workshops.

THEATRE

Out the Box Comedy
Back by popular demand, UJ Arts & Culture will again team up with POPArt and Goliath & Goliath to present the Out the Box Comedy shows, culminating in a marathon of 20 comedians performing 5-minute sets each.

Choir Boy
Comprising a combination of student and professional actors, the play tells the story of a young man who wants nothing more than to take his rightful place as leader of the school's legendary gospel choir. Can he find his way inside the hallowed halls of this institution if he sings in his own key? After its premiere at the National Arts Festival, Choir Boy will be performed at the UJ Youth Arts Festival in August.

African Gothic
Set against the backdrop of a farm in desolate ruin, Reza de Wet’s, African Gothic (translation of Diepe Grond), tells the story of the complicated, passionate, and troubled relationship between two siblings. Presented in partnership with Joburg Theatres, the play will be presented at The Fringe following its run at the National Arts Festival in July.

Metamorphosis
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. The staging of the play will be the culmination of a year-long process that involves more than 300 students and lecturers from different departments in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA) working on various design and development aspects of the work as part of their course work. Kafka’s Metamorphosis, adapted by Steven Berkoff will be tested in October with a view of undertaking full runs in 2019.

DANCE
MIDM’s 40th Anniversary Celebration Season proudly hosted by UJ Arts & Culture at the UJ Art Centre will comprise two programmes – the first will run from 14 to 16 September 2018 and the second in the following week from 20 to 22 September 2018.

SWAN, inspired by the famous ballet, Swan Lake, and the Japanese social phenomenon Hikikomori, the dance piece was built by Hannah Ma and Kesuke Mihara on Tchaikovsky’s music. SWAN will perform at the Con Cowan Theatre from 21 to 23 September 2018.

For more information visit UJ Arts & Culture’s new user-friendly website and booking system at www.uj.ac.za/arts

About UJ Arts & Culture

UJ Arts & Culture, a division of the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (FADA) produces and presents world-class student and professional arts programmes aligned to the UJ vision of an international university of choice, anchored in Africa, dynamically shaping the future. A robust range of arts platforms are offered on all four UJ campuses for students, staff, alumni and the general public to experience and engage with emerging and established Pan-African and international artists drawn from the full spectrum of the arts.

In addition to UJ Arts & Culture, FADA (www.uj.ac.za/fada) offers programmes in eight creative disciplines, in Art, Design and Architecture, as well as playing home to the NRF SARChI Chair in South African Art & Visual Culture, and the Visual Identities in Art & Design Research Centre. The Faculty has a strong focus on sustainability and relevance, and engages actively with the dynamism, creativity and diversity of Johannesburg in imagining new approaches to art and design education.