Wednesday 21 August 2019 2:23pm
Caroline Plummer Dance Fellow Antonio Ssebuuma Bukhar (centre) during rehearsals for this Saturday's FFENNZ 19 community dance performance.(Photos all courtesy of Kim Annan).
As Antonio Ssebuuma Bukhar limbers up for this Saturday’s FFENNA 19 the 2019 Caroline Plummer Dance Fellow says the event encapsulates all that’s great about community projects.
The community dance theatre production will feature a cast of more than 50 people of varying ages, and different levels of dance experience and ability, performing a similarly diverse range of dance styles – from hip-hop, dancehall, salsa, contemporary, Afro-fusion, and West African dance to a live drum percussion backing.
Featured groups include RASA School of Dance, Vuelta dance, Black and White studio, Otago Dance Association performance troupe, Mbizi drum and dance (from Oamaru), Kadodo Dunedin drummers and the ‘Freedance Dunedin’ community.
Antonio during at recent rehearsals
Antonio says the diversity of performers “is one of a kind”.
“There’s young stars under 10 years and an older generation over 50; all have different levels of experience, blended in a very high-quality professional setting.
“The event is going to be amazing; the music sets a great blend of moods from energetic African drum percussions to slow calm melodies and the audience should expect a unique performance with lots of surprises.”
Working with so many groups in the local dance community has been a great way to realise his Fellowship goals.
“Most of my fellowship-stay was aimed at connecting with local communities to create mutual relationships and understanding of a whole vision. I didn't find it challenging artistically because we are on the same page with the groups engaged in the project and performance.”
The project has been demanding, with Antonio acting not only as the show’s producer, but taking on roles that are usually shared among his dance company of nine people; he has been choreographer, director and promoter, co-ordinated with service providers and publicised the show. He’s even put up posters around Dunedin.
Antonio says the project has reinforced his belief in the value of “dance in action”.
“As a community dance practitioner who has gained most of my dance experience through peer-to-peer learning, I believe highly in the saying that ‘experience is the best teacher.’ I have worked on relatable projects before but this is the biggest in numbers so far.”
The project has left him more keen than ever to continue exploring the concepts that attracted him to the Fellowship, including positive change in communities through dance; humanization pedagogy in dance education; identity and human consciousness; inter-cultural and dance fusion; and health and well-being.
The public event is Saturday, 24 August, doors open at 5pm, Castle 1 Lecture Theatre, University of Otago Dunedin campus. Entry by Koha.