Indoni dancers perform in the park

Dancers from the Indoni Dance, Arts and Leadership Academy will perform at three parks in Cape Town over the next three Saturdays.

A dance academy will stage dance performances in three Cape Town parks over the next three weeks.

The first performance of Dancing with Nature 2021 will take place at the Nantes Park in Bridgetown on Saturday November 27. It’s a chance for the public to embrace nature while watching dancers in action.

It’s organised by the Indoni Dance, Arts and Leadership Academy.

Paula Kelly, the academy’s spokesperson, said: “With social distancing remaining a priority in these Covid times, what better place to share a day with your friends and family. Over three weekends, artistic director and founder member, Sbonakaliso Ndaba, and the Indoni dancers are bringing arts back to the people, with performances that shine a light on the beauty of our parks.”

Ms Ndaba is an award-winning dancer and choreographer who started the dance school seven years ago, when she took five unemployed youth from Khayelitsha under her wing. They were all post-matriculants who studied dance as their major subject but had no access to further education or job opportunities.

A total of 85 young dancers-in-training from Khayelitsha, Phillipi, Observatory and Kraaifontein will be showing off their moves.

Describing what people can look forward to, Ms Kelly said: “A giant stilt walker will lead you along the paths from one scene to the next. Share in the emotions of the scene being played out before you, or join in the dancing of familiar moves and then sing along to some of your favourite old ballads.”

The Indoni dancers will be at the Green Point Park on Saturday December 4 and De Waal Park in Oranjezicht on Saturday December 11. All performances start at 2pm.

The performances have been made possible with support and funding from the City of Cape Town, the provincial Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, the HCI Foundation and the Rotary Club of Sea Point.