December 7, 2006
By Michael Tsingo
SOWETO'S vibrant culture is on show again this year, at the fourth annual Soweto Arts Festival.
The festival, which begins on Thursday, 7 December, runs for 10 days at different venues across the township. It promises loads of entertainment from various performers in a number of genres, and this year organisers expect 25 000 people to attend.
"The aim of the festival is to empower the youth of Soweto and to give them a platform to showcase their talent," says organiser Mlungisi Gamede.
The first two days are devoted to music, with workshops by emerging and established musicians at Uncle Tom's Hall in Orlando West. According to the Soweto Arts Festival learner producer, Zothani Vilakazi, papers will be presented and there will be discussions on various industry issues.
Then it will be all about jamming, as Bob Marley would say, at Dorothy Nyembe Park on 9 December. The show, named Jamming in the Park, will feature music heavyweights such as Kabelo, Magesh, Trompies, Skroof, Masanza and Gywza.
Culture also comes in the form of the Choral Music Extravaganza Festival, on Sunday, 10 December at the Pelegeng Community Centre. Choral music is one of the oldest forms of art in Soweto, possibly because it does not depend on resources. The line-up includes the Soweto Youth Choir, Soweto Artistic Choir, African Youth Ensemble and The Ionians.
There is also a hip-hop show in Ekhaya Centre car park, in Dube. Expected to draw a crowd, performers are Tumi, Rainbow, Robo, DJ Syntax, DJ Phat 1KG, Obita, Bhubesi as well as Ben Qualid and Raw from Norway.
The next leg of the festival, from 11 to 15 December, is devoted to film and theatre. Films will be screened and plays will be produced at Diepkloof Hall, Uncle Tom's Hall, Chiawelo Community Centre, Joe Slovo Community Centre and Tshepisongo Multi-purpose Centre.
Theatre performances include
Tapping Hearts by Julian Mokoto;
Lubricate by Duma Mnembe; and
Hijack by Darlington Michaels. Feature films include
Zulu Love Letter,
Fools and
Promised Land, among others. Short films include
Waiting for Valdez and The Sky in Her Eyes. There are also documentaries such as
Samora Machel - Son Of Africa,
Samora Machel - Aluta Continua and
Aliens or Broers.
Then all the action moves to Mofolo Park on 16 December, with jazz and crafts. Simphiwe Dana, Mahotella Queens, Nothembi Mkwebane, Arno Carstens, Impande, Equinox and David Dee will perform.
Mofolo Park is again the venue for the closing blast on 17 December, with the 35-piece Orchestra Malombo.
Salute Samora Machel, a play, will be staged and Vhusi Khumalo, Stone and Citie from Botswana will perform.
All events are free. For more information, contact Johannesburg Concerts on 011 487 2818 or 082 712 5878.
Permission to use web site material
Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
- Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website
(www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency
(www.joburg.org.za)";
- If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original
article on this website;
- The name of the article's author is acknowledged;
-
The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill
in this brief online form).
Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 |
