While on their travels, our Education Director Shannon Quinn and African Dance Program Director Mama Sylvia Soumah have sent back this message from South Africa!
Township of Shoshanguve. Emma and Kenny live here
“This is our last day in Pretoria and saying goodbye to our hosts, Usuthu Arts Productions is going to be very hard. Emma, Kenny, Lulu and all of the other wonderful people we met have opened their community and heart to us.
I met Emma and Kenny from Usuthu Arts Productions in 2015 when my company ReVision was in Pretoria. The company went back in 2015 to collaborate on a piece, Propelling Voice at the South African State Theater with Usuthu.
This week, I introduced Sylvia Soumah from Coyaba Dance Theater to the company. Sylvia set a work on Usuthu that will be performed at DanceAfrica, DC in collaboration with Coyaba dancers. Dance Place will be hosting Usuthu this coming June 2018 and we can’t wait!
This week has been packed with master classes and rehearsals but we always managed to end the day with our new dear friends as we relaxed. Sylvia and I made it a priority to learn about other cultures by experiencing first hand the day to day life of artist that live in South Africa. We staying in the townships of Atteridgeville and Shoshanguve and visited Mamelodi and Soweto.
With dance students from Tshwane University of Technology
Sylvia rehearsed with Usuthu for 2-3 hours everyday Monday through Friday. We both taught two master classes at the Tiqwa School and then finished the week with two master classes at Tswhane University of Technology, where we worked with the Dance majors.
We are both inspired by everyone’s passion, generosity, dedication and openness to trying new things. Sylvia and I have learned from everyone we’ve worked with as much and they have learned from us. This trip has been a true cultural exchange between Pretoria, South Africa and Washington, D.C. The future is endless with possibilities.
We bid farewell to our dear friends today but know that we will see them again in June and many more times after that. This is the 3rd year of the partnership and we will make sure to continued on many more years after this one.”
Sounds like they’re having a great time! We’re so glad to hear more about their adventures when they get back home!