Sadler’s Wells, London – until 28th October 2023
(Part of the Dance Umbrella Festival 2023 from 6-31 October 2023)
Reviewed by Phil Brown
4 ****
This exhilarating show performed within the Dance Umbrella Festival is all about Pantsula dance – seen on the Sadler’s Wells stage for the first time – and almost certainly not the last.
Pantsula originated in the townships of South Africa (specifically Sophiatown in Jo’burg) in the 1950s , and whilst there are similarities with urban dance styles emanating mainly from African American communities in the United States , there is a balletic precision and fluidity to Pantsula moves and shapes that make it easy on the eye and lend itself to spectacular ensemble dancing, reminiscent of natural displays such as murmurations. Pantsula literally translates into “walk like a duck” but that somewhat undersells the appeal of the dance and the miraculous agility, precision and sheer repertoire of movements involved, as well as the use of props, whistling, vocalising, and body drumming. The dedication and discipline, not to mention the biomechanics, required to master this joyful and high energy dance form looks daunting, but don’t be surprised to find it as an upcoming fitness craze in years to come.
The “Via Injabulo” show is performed by 8 incredible dancers (4 men and 4 women – all in street clothes) from the award winning Via Katlehoing company based in the Katlehong township in the East Rand (east of Johannesburg). Via Katlehong originally came together in 1992 to counter rising crime and violence in a dangerous township and is steered by Steven Fallen and Buru Mohlabane who spoke powerfully and passionately at the post show discussion. Kathlehong is now becoming a tourist destination and Buru’s ambition is to “professionalise”: the Pantsula dance form by establishing a Pantsula Academy.
For “Via Injabulo”, Via Katlehong has collaborated with 2 European choreographers to produce 2 excellent pieces of around 30 minutes each. The collaborator for the opening piece – ‘førm inførms’ – is Portuguese, Marco da Silva Ferreira. It seems rather slow to start, with a solo dancer morphing from unusual shape to shape with graceful ease and gymnastic elasticity, before eventually, the music and the rest of the ensemble join in to initiate a perfectly coordinated, abstract dance with a bewildering array of footwork and armography, and the feel of a tribal dance. As if to show off the full scope of Pantsula, It finishes with a burst of sneaker tap and body percussion . The accompanying music by Jonathan Uliel Saldanha, mixes strident trumpets, polyrhythmic percussion with electronic sound and seems slightly too foreboding for such a fundamentally joyous dance form, but does not distract from the excellent ensemble performance.
During the official interval, and the preparation for the second piece which included an on-stage DJ, Via Katlehong dancers drifted into view with cool boxes as if turning up to an evening community cook out, and to the delight of the crowd who didn’t see the need for an interval drink, took turns in free styling away and egging each other on, including a spot of audience engagement, until the lights dimmed and the second piece – ‘Emaphakathini’ – officially started. This was choreographed by French-Senegalese, Amala Dionor, with dance music by Awir Leon, and whilst ‘førm inførms’ seemed almost formal, this seemed positively relaxed, but without any sacrifice of the razor sharp precision of Pantsula. (According to Lungile Mahlangu (one of the 8 dancers), who also spoke impressively at the after show discussion, ‘Emaphakathini’ was 60% improvised).
Where ‘førm inførms’ impressed, ’Emaphakathini’ captivated. It is the joyful, feel-good Pantsula that puts smiles on faces and fulfils Lungile’s aim to make people happy. This dance resembled an outdoor evening of organic socialising and energetic fun with small groups gathering, dispersing, and flexing in numbers whilst performing some wonderfully synchronised routines. It was a thrilling display until somewhat tarnished towards the end when a section without music and light, but with smoke, (simulating night?) succeeded in killing both mood and energy.
Overall, Via Injabulo is a magnificent celebration of Pantsula that will inspire and delight. it’s a terrific taster of a genuinely exiting new dance form that I hope we will see much more of in London. The level of accomplishment shown by an incredible team of dancers is extraordinary – congratulations to Thulislie Binda, Lungile Mahlangu, Kgadi Motsoane, Tshepo Mohiabane, Tshepo Nchabeleng, Thembi Ngwenya, Thato Qofela, and Abel Vilakazi.