Dance company sways the Lowveld with underwater dance

Having made its Innibos Lowveld National Arts Festival debut at Laerskool Laeveld, the Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative (FATC) is sure to be remembered.

The deeply emotional production Noah brought to life a never-before-seen underwater-themed dance performance. This activist dance group certainly kept the audience hypnotised in their rhythmic storytelling.

Although the FATC has performed at various functions and events in the past, it was during Innibos that they made their emotional debut, showing the Lowveld what they are capable of – and this is just the beginning.
The FATC was established in 1995 when Peter John (PJ) Sabbagha, the managing and artistic director, was still a lecturer at WITS University.
“The goal of this bopping group has always been to search for truth beyond what the government was feeding us,” said Sabbagha. “There has always been a need to search for our truth.”

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In September of 2018, the FATC received the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Human Rights Award, followed by the successful contribution of R2m to local economic growth during the My Body My Space Public Festival. Finally, in 2021, the FATC earned distinction at the Provincial Centre of Excellence, earning the recognition of Mpumalanga’s Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation.

The FATC continues to promote activism in their performances. According to Sabaggha, their recent debut performance Noah was inspired by global warming, rising sea-levels and floods.

He said the FATC aims to support, uplift and build the rural communities of Mpumalanga. Moving from the city of Johannesburg to the rural area of eMakhazeni, Mpumalanga, in 2015, Sabbagha realised it was time for a radical shift. “It was time to take the risk or die as we were.”

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He said as a group performing in the city and shining a spotlight, the stage felt less and less rewarding come each performance. Deciding to spend more time on what matters, the FATC moved from the city buzz to start engaging with rural communities with the goal of creating jobs, sustaining green practices on their grounds and skill development for children, youth, women and people with disabilities.

This move was a big financial blow to the team, and every next step became a make-or-break moment. “We had to retrench people, while others left because it wasn’t for them.”

Nearly 10 years later, the FATC is more active than ever. On Sabbagha’s family farm, the Ebhudlweni Arts Centre is ready to keep its creative activism going in Mpumalanga.
Taking pride in their stunning scenery, walking trails, waterfalls and the breathtaking surrounding nature, this trout and cattle farm invites visitors and residents to use nature as inspiration. Opening their home for functions, retreats and events, anyone with a creative block can be sure to find their cure under the Mpumalangan sun.
Sabbagha and his band of trip-the-light-fantastic dancers aren’t planning on leaving soon, and Mpumalanga is sure to see a lot more of them.

“We are staying for good, as long as I am involved.”