Dance festival at the Baxter

The 13th annual Baxter Dance Festival takes place from Thursday October 5 to Sunday October 14 with 64 new pieces by 73 choreographers over eight days.

This year’s festival opens with two performances by contemporary African dance company, Moving Into Dance Mophatong, from Johannesburg, on Thursday October 5 and Friday October 6, at 8pm.

Other dance companies performing at the Baxter Dance Festival this year are Cape Dance Company, Dance For All, Eoan Group, JazzArt Dance Theatre, the Kirvan Fortuin Company, La Rosa, New World Dance Theatre and Taare.

The Main Programme, which will include invited and commissioned works, as well as work by recognised professional choreographers and companies, runs for the entire festival.

The Off-Main Programme, on Saturday October 7, will present work by up-and-coming choreographers, including students; and the Fringe Programme on Saturday October 14, will include work by youth groups, dance schools, school groups and traditional dance groups.

Headlining this year’s festival is the commissioned work by choreographer, dancer and teacher, Themba Mbuli.

This year the Baxter has shaken things up by inviting individual dancers to audition to be part of the commissioned work with Mbuli, who was the 2016 Standard Bank Young Award recipient and has been performing for 17 years.

Since its inception in 2004, more than 500 local choreographers have presented work at the festival, featuring some 4 000 dancers from more than 400 studios, dance schools, projects and professional companies from across the Western Cape, presenting a range of dance styles and genres including contemporary, classical, African, modern and Spanish.

Tickets cost R100 for the Main Programme; R70 for the Off-Main Programme; and R40 for the Fringe Programme.

Book through Computicket or for discounted school or group block bookings, fundraisers or charities, contact Sharon Ward at 021 680 3962.