Fuse will be performed on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 December.

iKAPA DANCE THEATRE & STEPS REPERTORY ENSEMBLE (NYC) TO PERFORM 2 NIGHTS AT THE OUDE LIBERTAS ARTS FESTIVAL

FUSE is a celebration of Peace and Reconciliation

Fuse will be performed on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 December.

Where & When: 20:15, Oude Libertas Amphitheatre in Stellenbosch.

Book tickets, R80/ R100/ R120 book at Computicket or Booking office on 021 8097473 / 021 8097380

For further details contact Theo Ndindwa on 0739377558 or Tanya Arshamian on 0739913478 or email: info@ikapadancetheatre.co.za

Fuse will conclude with a premiere of a new work by Theo Ndindwa and Tanya Arshamian (iKapa’s directors) performed collaboratively by members of iKapa and the Ensemble.

Fuse will also include works by acclaimed American choreographers Cherice Barton (Broadway’s Spider Man), Donald Byrd (Artistic Director, Spectrum Dance & Broadway’s The Color Purple), and Andrea Miller (Artistic Director, Gallim Dance) performed by The Steps Repertory Ensemble, as well as new works by South African Choreographers Maxwell Xolani and Ebrahim Medell.

iKapa Dance Theatre is a repertoire company focusing primarily on the production of innovative and unique works. The performing company is made up of local professional dancers and the productions draw on issues of social relevance that can spark social debate or re-invigorate awareness. iKapa Dance Theatre uses productions not only to educate and empower but also to entertain and inspire. The company also teaches, develop and empower young people in previously disadvantaged communities.

Through the company dancers’ involvement with the iKapa Dance Training & Outreach, the dancers are active players in skills transfer, leadership and guidance. The iKapa company dancers are seen as role models for the youth.

2010 began with iKapa’s participation in the “Infecting the city” Festival in Cape Town.

This was followed with the first International tour of iKapa Dance Theatre when the production of STADIUM was not only performed at the "Out the box Festival" and "FNB Dance Umbrella" in South Africa but also the Harare International Festival of Arts. iKapa has recently completed a series of Dancers Showcase’s, that has resulted in its recent season, Triple Face performed at the On Broadway Theatre.

 The Steps Repertory Ensemble is a company of professional and pre-professional dancers chosen for their diversity, skill and commitment. Working with their world-renowned faculty and guest choreographers, Ensemble members are immersed in a concentrated level of training in preparation for a career in the performing arts. Ensemble dancers have gone on to work with Sean Curran Company, Tribute to Michael Jackson World Tour, Bad Boys of Dance, Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Cirque du Soleil, Fox-TV's "So You Think You Can Dance", Jennifer Muller/The Works, Ballet Hispanico, as well as on Broadway.

At the invitation of GAIN, iKapa Dance Theatre and the Steps Repertory Ensemble began this three-phase project in May 2010. This project is explored through dance, video, and community outreach.

In May 2010, two Steps Ensemble members traveled to Cape Town to start the collaboration process with iKapa Dance Theatre. iKapa’s director Theo Ndindwa choreographed the new collaboration piece.

In late August 2010, Ndindwa and two iKapa dancers, travelled to New York City. This was made possible through a scholarship to study at Steps on Broadway. This scholarship enabled iKapa to continue working on the collaborative piece that was presented at Steps Repertory Ensemble’s annual dance concert, Celebrate Dance, in September 2010.

The final phase of the collaboration is the production of Fuse in December 2010. This project represents the first international collaboration for both companies. According to Theo Ndindwa, artistic director of iKapa, this interactive process was an amazing experience for all involved. The cross-cultural collaboration has established a great international platform through which iKapa Dance Theatre and Steps have reached new heights.

 Claire Livingstone, artistic director of the Ensemble notes, "This creative and cultural experience has already added a new dimension to the Ensemble, enriching our dancers and the children they taught in South Africa’s townships.  We hope to continue this partnership and create many more in the future."