JOMBA! – Dancing In A Digital Space

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In the wake of the COVID-19 global upheaval and its impact on live performance, the much-loved JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal, calls for Fringe Applications as it announces its move online for its 2020 edition in August/September.

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Yaseen Manuel in Maktub, at the 2019 Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience Fringe.

“It is clear that we will not be able to deliver JOMBA! in the same manner as previous years,” says JOMBA’s Artistic Director Lliane Loots. “COVID-19 has shifted the art world very significantly and we will remain one of the hardest-hit sectors both now and even post COVID-19. 

But as an artistic entity, which offers a time and space for artists to engage in serious and important new art and dance-making for audiences, we believe we must continue with our work and so have begun planning in an environment of fragile uncertainty for a re-visioned digital JOMBA! 2020. “

Loots goes on to explain, “The idea is to imagine JOMBA! to be a benchmark of what a dance festival could possibly be or become at this zeitgeist in our history. As we began to curate what will be a fascinating programme, we would like to reach out for digital submissions for the JOMBA! Fringe 2020.”

Professional, experimental, and up-coming choreographers, dancers, and dance companies are invited to apply for participation on the JOMBA! Digital Fringeplatform.

As JOMBA! is a contemporary dance festival works that are located within the broad spectrum of contemporary dance will be considered, and preference will be given to South African and African submissions. 

For the JOMBA! Digital Fringe, works that are specifically conceived, and created for film and for a  digital platform, and that develop interesting dynamics between dance and screen/digital/film disciplines will be considered.

A panel of experts (local and international) will adjudicate the works presented as part of the JOMBA! Digital Fringe and our “Pick-of-the-Fringe” works will be announced publically.   

Application forms which outline all the submission criteria can be requested viae-mail from jombafestival@gmail.com with the subject line “Request for 2020 JOMBA fringe application form.

Applications close at 4 pm on Friday 10 July 2020.