Resident and choreographer Nadine Joseph is set to perform her show The Fear of Loss at the upcoming Detours: Re-routing Movement Composition Dance Festival at The Downstairs Theatre at The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) from 13 to 23 May.
The Fear of Loss is a new dance production created by the Emmarentia resident and her colleague Daniel Nubian – a work that speaks to the process of losing or having lost something. According to Joseph, the show deals with how sexual violence causes a loss of self and dignity, and a loss of a self that could have been. These losses are not only experienced by the victim but by the perpetrator as well as the witnesses to these acts.
Joseph recounted that her dancing career initially started at Rhodes University, where she studied for seven years. “Movement/physical theatre was always a part of my drama degree from the beginning, however it was my head of department at Rhodes University, Gary Gordon who really got me involved in movement and physical theatre, more specifically he suggested I do choreography which I did and I have loved it ever since,” she said.
She explained that being a young choreographer in the industry is very difficult, and funding and access to resources is not always available. “One learns to manage between holding down multiple jobs and finding time to create one’s choreography and artistic work. If you want to do it you will find a way to make it happen,” she said.
Joseph pointed out that she is very excited to be a part of the upcoming dance festival. “The festival has provided me an opportunity to explore and expand on new possibilities and ideas in terms of this piece,” she concluded.