By Sharlene Versfeld
Published September 4, 2-023
When Time Stops, a screen dance film by Maulid Owino of Kenya that plays with the fleetingness of time, has won at JOMBA! Open Horizons contest in Durban, South Africa.
Owino, who is founder and artistic director of Dance Unites in Nairobi and whose work was screened as part of the 2021 iteration of JOMBA! Open Horizons, has walked away with ZAR2000 cash prize.The jury was impressed with Owino’s ‘artful use of transitions in driving character and narrative forward’.
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Durban-based Tshediso Kabulu’s Exorcism took third place with ZAR1000. Kabulu who is no stranger to Durban’s stages and screens offers a work that he says explores “the pursuit of liberation, healing, and the ultimate freedom to live in the present moment”. Juror David April commented on the expressiveness of Kabulu’s performance in lending itself to the articulated narrative.
Cape Town’s Oscar O’Ryan taking top honours and a monetary prize of ZAR3000 for their NOT FROM HERE described by the artist as “an ode to the unique South African Karoo landscape”. Juror Tracey Saunders applauded the work for its “exquisite styling and sense of place” while fellow juror Shanelle Jewnarain commended the film’s expert crafting where “concept meets execution perfectly!”
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The JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, celebrating 25 years this year, announced its JOMBA! Open Horizons “pick of the platform” awards for 2023 on September 3. The programme was screened on the festival’s YouTube Channel and remains available for the remainder of the festival until September 10, 2023.
The platform encourages submissions from dance-makers across Africa and South Africa and has been a platform for artists, new and established, to create and develop new and original work for participation on JOMBA!’s international stage. Through an open call for submissions of work between 3 – 8min in length which are then vetted by an independent jury, JOMBA!’s Open Horizons platform offers a smorgasbord of new works across a variety of themes showcasing emerging and established voices for local and international audiences.
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Following jury deliberations around the submissions received for 2023, six dance films were selected for inclusion on our Open Horizons platform, showcasing work from across South Africa and also including a work from Kenya. The works offer a diverse range of dance styles, forms and themes made for digital engagement.
Three of the six dance-films were selected for “pick-of-the-platform” awards.
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Also included on the programme are Cape Town-based Kamogelo Dooka’s thoughtful The Tormented Crown alongside sister Capetonian Zandile Salukazana’s evocative Wake Up and Bloemfontein’s inimitable Thamsanqa Majela who offers his emotive IN SANE.
The Festival offers a range of workshops, residencies, talks and performances and runs until 10 September. Tickets are available through Computicket.
All festival information is available on the festival website.
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