DANCE
Gregory’s Final Bow in Monumental Work
Production: Exit/Exist
Photos: Arthur Dlamini
If you don’t recognise the name Gregory Maqoma, read on and book your tickets. If you do, you will have done that already. DIANE DE BEER takes a look at this remarkable artist’s life as he stands at the beginning of a different journey.
Gregory Maqoma recently announced his retirement as a dancer and says: “Exit/Exist is certainly the closing work in South Africa. I will take my final bow in December in Los Angeles at the UCLA with The Land We Carry which is a sequel to Exit/Exist, confronting the present leadership in their dealing with land redistribution (or the lack thereof).”
And this has always been the way that he expresses himself, telling stories with and through dance of his people and his life and engaging with those in power to make his feelings heard.
“As artists, we often see things through our personal histories, with their parts rooted in convention, and they become subject to the change we desire. These histories come to include reflections on what inspires us to take that first step of discovering their complex nature. Through such reflections I believe we become the mirror to the society we represent; as a result, we become political and our identities are formed.
“With political consciousness, we become aware of who we are and some knowledge of self and place creates a possibility for a discourse; in my case, the body becomes the principal communicator informed by many experiences.
“Exit/Exist is a poignant work that has carried my career to greater heights, it has opened many doors – not just for me but for a lot more people. It is a work that continues to amplify the question around land, displacement and the erasure of history.
“On the other hand, it is also about zooming in on the character of my ancestor Chief Jongusombovhu Maqoma, who met his fate at the hands of the oppressor on Robben Island. Bringing this work to Stellenbosch, where the controversies surrounding Stellenbosch’s land ownership and economy are tied to broader issues of land distribution, wealth inequality and historical privilege in South Africa, will hopefully spark a healthy conversation on historical injustices.”
You never leave a performance of his untouched, not only for his magnificent dancing but also for the way he awakens minds and touches souls. There is some good news, though – while he concedes this is his last season as a dancer on stage, he will continue to make work and be involved in many other productions including films, writing and teaching. “I’m still the head and creative force of Vuyani Dance Theatre, with a strong creative team.”
“Dance is life manifesting as a powerful expression and integral part of conveying complex social issues and narratives, connected deeply with memory, culture, and personal identity.”
Having witnessed some of their rehearsals and many of their performances, this will be where he keeps growing and expanding his dance dreams. “This has been a five-year conversation with myself, preparing my mind and body for the change. When I gave my two-year notice to theatres, festivals and funders, I received overwhelming support that filled my calendar with bookings and engagements. But more overwhelming was the support received from the audiences and press.”
That isn’t surprising. Dance, like many of the artistic disciplines, has struggled; Covid affected them more than most because their salaries depend on live audiences. But the strongest found ways, even during the darkest times.
“Dance is life manifesting as a powerful expression and integral part of conveying complex social issues and narratives, connected deeply with memory, culture, and personal identity,” explains Maqoma. And he has already applied his creative juices in many different ways, locally and internationally.
“I am producing, choreographing and directing films where dance is centralised. I have produced three books (including My Life, My Dance, My Soul) within a year and I intend to write more. I am taking space in the teaching field, engaging with universities globally, mentoring and sharing knowledge.
“The world is interested in my work and I’m also interested in engaging with the world on issues that affect us all. I hope, though, that we can strike a balance locally where similar intense engagement and platforms for performance are made possible.
“I feel it is already changing, with spaces opening up and engaging artists and being brave to take on work that is challenging society, that’s not just entertainment. I hope the new Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, can really shift things, and I know I’m not the only one who is an optimist in this regard.”
But we don’t have to fear that this magnificent artist will ever be lost to us locally. “My legacy exists within Vuyani as an entity that houses and protects my knowledge through the works that have been created in the last 25 years of the company. The dancers who are trained embody this knowledge and they in return are able to share in the communities and institutions of higher learning.
“I continue to mentor and provide space for future artists, with a particular focus on female artists, to take on leadership.” As he himself was trained by Sylvia Glasser, a South African dancer and choreographer known as a pioneer of Afrofusion, a genre that combines African culture with modern dance, it’s as though he is paying it forward with this gesture.
But that is who Gregory Maqoma is. He responds to life in the way it affects and touches him. He has never simply done things without meaning. Every step he takes is well thought through.
“Dance, for me, has been a journey of unconventional rhythms, a symphony of movements that transcends not only the physical realm but also the cultural and societal norms that sought to confine it. As a Black South African, raised in the vibrant township of Soweto, my life’s dance began as a silent protest against expectations rooted in a middle-class family with Christian values, where education was considered the sacred bridge to a promised land, a metaphorical Nirvana. Today, I stand not just as a practitioner of this art form but as an author, weaving the tales of my life, my dance and my soul into the rich tapestry of South Africa’s artistic landscape.
“Within the confines of these cultural and familial expectations, I discovered the transformative power of movement. Dance became my language, a rebellion against norms that sought to limit expression. The Township of Soweto became a place where each step I took echoed the resilience of a community navigating through the complexities of identity and tradition.”
His life as a dancer and an author has not been without its challenges, but he has worked hard to find a way to make his voice heard, especially as someone who broke away from the norm.
His triumphs with audiences, where he witnessed the transformative nature of dance and came to the realisation that his journey resonates with others, gave him the courage to find his own way.
Exit/Exist tells its own story, and for this dancer, it is his way of paying homage and saying farewell to his audiences, old and new, locally and internationally. But his voice and his influence in the dance world will be as vibrant and powerful as before as he discovers new ways to make himself heard.
Exit/Exist at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees
5 OKT 19:00 | 6 OKT 16:00
60 min | Adam Small Auditorium
R200-R320 | R230-R350 by die deur
Book here
Theatre discussion:
Gillian Mitchell, former dancer and choreographer and Chair of the Woordfees awards panel, talks to Gregory Maqoma.
5 OCT 13:00
60 min | SU Museum Annex
Free
