UJ’s year of love and revolution
JOBURG - The University of Johannesburg's performing arts division has just become revolutionised, with the announcement of their annual arts programme.
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Arts and Culture is set to own performing arts with their newly announced annual arts programme entitled REVOLUTION MMXIV.
UJ’s Arts and Culture: Advancement team has prepared a programme that will get people out of their seats.
The UJ Choir repertoire for REVOLUTION MMXIV includes works of contemporary international composers like Lauridsen, Joshua Shank, Ivo Antognini, and budding South African choral composers like Franco Prinsloo and Niel van der Watt.
Sidumo Jacobs and Zwai Bala will add a strong African flavour to ensure variety and inclusion of styles.
The Soweto campus-based Unijoh Chorale complements the Kingsway-based choir conducted by Renette Bouwer as they fly the orange flag during a range of events and concerts.
The best of local and international works feature in the line-up of productions from the French Revolution to Shakespeare resurrected and reinvented.
Works include an adaptation of Hamlet presented in partnership with DALRO, Think Theatre’s, Othello, and more contemporary works like Robin Malan’s The Boy Who Walked Into the World and What the Water Gave Me by Rehane Abrahams.
An exciting new dance project presented in collaboration with The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative (UJ Arts & Culture’s Resident Professional Dance Company) will set the stage for the biggest UJ inter-campus dance showdown with an open audition process, mentorship and training workshops.
Themes of love and revolution also root the annual Izimbongi Poetry Festival spearheaded by the Doornfontien Campus-based Afro-Alphabets.
Performing arts producer Grace Meadows is particularly excited about the fourth instalment of #THATSOGAY which evolves into THATSO-LGBTI :: #TRANS* this year.
“Trans is an umbrella term that refers to all of the identities within the gender identity spectrum,” Meadows said.
“The asterisk makes special note in an effort to include all non-cisgender gender identities, including transgender, transsexual, transvestite, genderqueer, genderfluid, non-binary, genderf*ck, genderless, agender, non-gendered, third gender, two-spirit, bigender, and trans man and trans woman,” Meadows explained.
REVOLUTION MMXIV promises to provide a unique and multi-layered contribution to the myriad of voices and perspectives on democracy, freedom, transformation and our collective South African identity.
Details: www.uj.ac.za/arts
