Press Release: Cape Town's premier dance festival at the Baxter this October

As you know, we frequent the theatre often - on dates, family excursions or mother-son times.  And this is the next one we are headed to.  This looks likes a fantastical ensemble of talent.  Keep an eye out for our review and maybe we will see some of you there. 

Cape Town's premier dance festival at the Baxter this October

Dance lovers are in for a treat this year when the annual Baxter Dance Festival kicks off with a jam-packed line-up of the mother city's top dance talents and guest performers from Gauteng and Namaqualand at the Baxter Theatre from 4 to 13 October.

Now in its eighth year the popular festival is widely regarded as Cape Town's premier dance platform with over 300 dancers taking to the stage and nearly 50 choreographers showcasing their work. The festival has grown exponentially and has become one of the must-see activities on Cape Towns events calendar.  

Nicolette Moses, Associate Producer and Planning Manager responsible for the festival, says Its the perfect environment for dance enthusiasts to experience and see work by established professionals, as well as up-and-coming dance practitioners. The festival is here to showcase and celebrate the Western Capes rich and prolific dance history, the people who have influenced it and those who are making their mark for the future.

Highlights this year include the new commissioned work by Ananda Fuchs', guest choreographers Gregory Maqoma and Luyanda Sidiya with the Vuyani Dance Company, as well as performances by former Alvin Ailey dancer Bradley Shelver.  One of the much-anticipated performances in the Main Programme category this year is Ananda Fuchs' Fragile Falling which will be performed daily at Main Programme performances from 8 Oct. Fragile Falling is a dance piece that explores the meaning of hair and in particular how its strands hold our personal, cultural, social, emotional, psychological and inherited histories.

Award-winning choreographers Gregory Maqoma and Luyanda Sidiya will make their Cape Town debuts with their acclaimed Joburg-based Vuyani Dance Company. Maqoma's Mayhem and Sidiyas Umnikelo, The Offering were both performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in July.

This year over 50 entries will be seen, ranging in style from contemporary to neo-classical, flamenco, fusion, physical theatre, modern, African, jazz, hip hop, belly and Indian dancing.  Some of these include Vuyani Dance Theatre, Underground Dance Theatre, Amalgamated Artists, Dance, Wilvan School of Dance, Jazzart Dance Theatre, La Rosa Spanish Dance Company, Cape Dance Company and Brigitte Reeve Dance Company to name just a few. 

 Previous choreographers of the commissioned work were Ebrahim Medell (2005), Marlin Zoutman (2006), collaborators Yarisha Singh and Celeste Botha (2007), Levern Botha (2008), Mamela Nyamza (2009), Carolyn Holden from La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre in 2010 and Grant van Ster (2011). All these choreographers have continued to make their mark in the world of dance, both locally and abroad.

The Main Programme runs every night at 20:00 from 4 to 13 October and is made up of various works of different lengths and features work by established professional companies, the newly commissioned choreographers piece and that of invited choreographers or companies.

The Off Main Programme, which takes place on Saturday, 6 October, at 17:00, will showcase young emerging choreographers and student work.

The Fringe Programme at 14h00 on Saturday, 13 October will include work by youth groups, dance studios, school groups, traditional African dance groups and choreographers who have requested that their work run on this programme for practical reasons. It usually features great options for younger dancers and kids, offering variety for the whole family.

For further information contact Alethea Patterson on 021 680 3974 or email