Review: Meraki Dance Festival – a night of energy, precision and resilience

Our Stories performed by New World Dance Theatre (NWDT) and Jazzart Dance Theatre. Image supplied

Founded on the company’s long-standing philosophy that dance is education, community and socio-political reflection, the festival aims to create dialogue between emerging artists and established professionals while inviting audiences to engage more actively with the art form.

Jazzart, now in its 53rd year, launched the festival to help build a more connected dance ecosystem in Cape Town. The word 'meraki' refers to doing something with soul, creativity and love – leaving a part of yourself in the work – and that spirit runs through the programme.

This year’s theme, Our Stories, asked artists to consider how personal and collective narratives are expressed through the body. In an era when stories shape how societies see themselves, dance becomes both a mirror and a messenger.

Presented over two weeks, the festival placed emerging choreographers alongside established professionals. The result is a programme that reflects dialogue and collaboration rather than hierarchy.

That sense of exchange was clearly visible in the evening’s performance I attended at Artscape, where a series of works unfolded with strong audience engagement and a consistently high standard of execution.

The programme opened with Ingcambu Yobulumko, performed by Imbewu Dance Collective and choreographed by Lubabalo Pupu. The duet by Mbulelo Mzazi and Monwabisi Bence offered a thoughtful reflection on South Africa’s 30 years of democracy through the lived experiences of young adults from disadvantaged communities.

Ingcambu Yobulumko performed by Imbewu Dance Collective. Image supplied

The choreography moved with a sense of measured progression, subtly suggesting the passage of time. The dancers worked in close dialogue with one another, their movements precise and well aligned.

There was a quiet polish to the performance that made it an effective introduction to the evening. The piece balanced reflection and celebration, acknowledging both the vision of a united Rainbow Nation and the realities young people face in navigating the present.

Momentum shifted quickly with Discord, performed by Gain Collective and choreographed by Chesney Stanfield and Emile Petersen. Inspired by the current global political climate, the work portrays four power-hungry politicians locked within an ideological battle where truth becomes fluid, and self-interest dominates.

Discord by Gain Collective. Image supplied

The choreography was sharp and highly coordinated, making inventive use of chairs and a table as integral elements of the movement. The rhythm kept shifting, creating moments of tension and release that the performers handled with confidence. The audience clearly loved it.

The collaborative work Our Stories, choreographed by Sifiso Kweyama and performed by dancers from New World Dance Theatre (NWDT) and Jazzart Dance Theatre, brought a more layered, reflective tone to the stage.

This piece explored how the narratives we carry shape how we see ourselves and others. The integration between the younger New World dancers and the experienced Jazzart performers was seamless.

NWDT CEO and artistic director Marlin Zoutman has worked extensively with Jazzart. Even though he didn’t choreograph this piece, the dancers’ shared training foundation allowed the choreography to flow naturally between them.

For audience members unfamiliar with the performers, it would have been easy to assume that all of them were professionals. The New World dancers were that strong. The ensemble performed with impressive unity, creating a textured stage picture where individual stories merged into a collective voice.

A shift in style followed with The Sugar Plum Fairy Grand Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker, performed by Cape Ballet Africa dancers Leanè Theunissen and Gabriel Fernandes Da Silva, with choreography by Lev Ivanov.

The Sugar Plum Fairy Grand Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker. Image supplied

Within a contemporary dance programme, classical ballet can sometimes feel unexpected. Yet the duet landed beautifully. The dancers delivered a strong, controlled performance, highlighting the traditional structure of the pas de deux – from the lyrical adagio through the solo variations to the sparkling coda.

What made the moment particularly striking was the audience response. The theatre erupted in applause, especially during the turning sequences and virtuosic passages. The enthusiastic reception suggested that audiences remain deeply receptive to classical technique, even within a contemporary festival setting.

The programme then moved into darker territory with Free Fall (Excerpt), choreographed by Lee van der Merwe. This extract from a larger immersive dance-theatre production explores the seductive chaos of nightlife and the pressures that shape modern relationships.

The excerpt follows two characters, Luc and Olivia, portrayed by Claudia House and Nkosinathi Mazwai, as they navigate a nightclub encounter complicated by social expectation, escapism and shifting boundaries. A striking voice-over, written by van der Merwe, frames the narrative as the choreography unfolds through intricate partnering and layered emotional tension.

The work highlights the importance of reading situations clearly and respecting personal boundaries. It is a demanding choreography that requires precise timing and strong dramatic focus.

Both performers handled the complexity with assurance, creating a piece that was both technically strong and narratively clear. (It would work well on the National Arts Festival programme.)

The evening concluded with Survive, performed by Jazzart Dance Theatre and choreographed by Ciara Baldwin and Nathan Bartman. With some elements inspired by the memory of fellow dancer Kirvan Fortuin (1991–2020), the work explores the tension between survival and truly living.

From the opening moments, the emotional intensity was unmistakable. Fortuin’s recorded words – urging people to “do what you need to do to survive” and reminding them that their personal stories matter – resonated through the theatre with chilling clarity.

The ensemble included seven South African dancers from Jazzart alongside performers from Tanzania and Italy, creating a powerful international collaboration. The choreography demanded stamina, precision and emotional commitment, and the dancers delivered all three in abundance.

The audience reaction was explosive. It was a fitting conclusion to an evening that celebrated both artistic excellence and the resilience embedded within many contemporary dance narratives.

What stood out most was the strong audience support for the festival. The theatre remained engaged throughout, responding warmly to each company and style of work.

Encouragingly, a visiting international guest with more than 40 years of experience in the dance world – someone who has watched leading companies perform globally – remarked on the impressive standard of the performances. Such feedback suggests that what is being built through the Meraki Dance Festival is gaining recognition beyond the local scene.

For a festival only in its second year, that is a promising sign. If the same level of energy, collaboration and artistic quality continues, Meraki could well become one of the most important platforms for contemporary dance in Cape Town.