Guest Artists/Collaborators 2011

Guest Artists/Collaborators 2010

Richard Antrobus

Richard Antrobus (Affiliate)

Richard matriculated from St Andrews College in Grahamstown and completed his BA (Hons) in Drama at Rhodes University in 2004, and has performed part-time with the company since 2001. From 2005 - July 2006 he worked as a resident performer for First Physical before embarking on studies abroad, gaining a diploma (Distinction) at School of Physical Theatre, London. He has since returned to South Africa to read for his MA Drama in Contemporary Performance, but continues to work part time for the company as both a performer and administrator.

Richard is a light-hearted, yet highly committed performer with a keen interest & enthusiasm for the whole spectrum of physical theatre: ranging from acting & mime to acrobatics & dance. He is a proud South African ´small-towner´ striving to develop a unique style and technique as a solo artist, ensemble performer, & teacher, that both entertains & challenges the physical, emotional, & spiritual.

Acty Tang (Affiliate)

Acty Tang

Winner of the 2007 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for dance, Acty’s work attracts audiences with a taste for conceptual depth and visual exuberance. His own choreographic work and productions with the First Physical Theatre Company havebeen seen around South Africa since 1999, and was a finalist for the DaimlerChrysler Award for South African Choreography in 2002. Recent productions include “Chaste” at 2007National Arts Festival and at the Dance Factory, a video dance “Textures” (2008), performances at the Spier Performing Arts Festival in Cape Town (2008), “Protect” (2007) in Johannesburg and Cape Town, “The Silent Wail of Melisande” (2006) at NAF and Pretoria, “Apology for a Stranger” (2006) at Johannesburg and Hilton. He was nominated for Best Male Performer for the Gauteng MEC Award for Contemporary Choreography and Dance 2007, for the work “Male Variations: Let me entertain you 400 times over” in Johannesburg.

Acty holds a Master of Arts degree from Rhodes University Drama department, with training in physical theatre, choreography, mime, directing, acting, and design. His work is inspired by the Japanese avant-garde dance butoh, and contact improvisation. He is of Chinese descent now drifting through the world with a South African passport, and his ambivalence and conflicts of cultural identifications inform the eclectic, often startling and intensely personal aesthetic of his work.

Gavin Krastin

Gavin holds an Honours degree (with distinction) specialising in choreography, physical theatre, design and dance culture. He is currently reading towards his Master of Arts degree in choreography, also at Rhodes University, where he is researching (academically as well as practically) the use of digital and cyber technologies in contemporary choreography – both internationally and locally.

Gavin has worked with First Physical in the capacity of performer, appearing in Sonja Smit’s How to move the Dead, New Voices 2009, as well as choreographing The cybernetics of two antiquated lost lovers for New Voices 2010. Gavin has also designed for many First Physical productions including So loop ‘n Voltruis, for the ABSA KKNK, and was design assistant for the butoh production Amanogawa at the 2010 National Arts Festival.

Ingrid Gordon

Ingrid Gordon (Guest Designer)

Ingrid Gordon has worked on a volunteer basis for First Physical Theatre Company since August 2006.
Ingrid has a background in advertising. She has experience in architecture, interior design andlighting, furniture design, landscaping and photography. She has won numerous poster design awards for First Physical Theatre Company productions on the Fringe at the National Arts Festival.
Ingrid has owned and developed farms for both agriculture and hospitality. She has accepted positions as building project manager, then managed and acted as chef at Relais & Chateaux Game Lodges.
As visual conceptualiser; Ingrid has designed for “Bessie’s Head” First Physical Theatre Company, “Kiss My Boot” for UBOM! Drama Company, “Go” for First Physical Theatre Company, “Chaste” for Acty Tang and “Between” for First Physical Theatre Company.

Nadine Joseph

Nadine is currently reading for her Masters degree in Drama specialising in Choreography at Rhodes University, having received both her Bachelor of Arts Degree and Honours degree, with academic colours and first class distinction. She has been involved in various National Arts Festival Productions since 2008.

In 2010, Nadine Joseph produced Sanity Observed for the FNB Dance Umbrella. She has also worked with acclaimed directors and choreographers such as Janet Buckland in The Most Amazing Other Show (2010), Andrew Buckland in Femi Osofisan’s Morountodun (2010) and Frauke in Amanogawa (2010). She also produced her own piece entitled, wasHEd up fetISh, as part of the New Voices programme 2010 at the National Arts festival.

Nomcebisi Moyikwa

Nomcebisi started her dancing career taking classes in modern dance, traditional dance and hip-hop. Furthermore, she became part of the First Physical Youth Company at the age of ten and is now in her final year of studying Drama (specialising in choreography and dance performance) at Rhodes University. From 2005 she has performed annually at the National Arts Festival in works by various First Physical Theatre Company choreographers as well as performing with the ‘senior’ First Physical Theatre Company, most notably in Gary Gordon’s Go and The Unspeakable Story. In addition, she was also a dancer in Acty Tang’s and Gary Gordon’s Listening to the Rain: a Tribute to Anthony Minghella (2009).

Nicola Elliott

Nicola Elliott (Guest Performer/Choreographer)

"This part should be uncomfortable (part 2)"; "Essay(er)s in a Forgotten Elegance"

Since Nicola enrolled at Rhodes University in 2003, she has performed in various university and semi-professional theatre productions, including: A Great Year, devised and directed by Lindy Matshikiza and Dani Marais (NAF Student Production, 2004); The Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss, directed by Brink Scholtz (2005); Expeditions to a Baobab Tree directed by Heike Gehring (NAF, 2006); Crumbs directed by Dani Marais (NAF, 2007), and Medea-M/other House directed by Ingrid Wylde (NAF, 2007). She has also performed in dance productions, including Alan Parker’s Major/Minor (FNB Dance Umbrella, 2009).

Her choreographed works have been seen at Rhodes as well as on the national platforms of the Standard Bank National Arts Festival, the FNB Dance Umbrella and the Klein Karoo Nationale Kunstefees. These works include Shades (2006); Judi Dench told me this in confidence – now I’m telling you! (2007); Ballad (2008) featuring Acty Tang and Alan Parker; Quartet in fast and sparse (2008), and This part should be uncomfortable (2008-9). She is currently working on a Rhodes production for the Standard Bank National Arts Festival, entitled Story.

Nicola is affiliated with the Grahamstown-based, The First Physical Theatre Company and teaches open Pilates classes for their Body Forms programme. She tutors for Rhodes Drama and is also currently reading towards her MA in Choreography.

Sonja Smit

Sonja Smit (Guest Choreographer) "Volstuismeidjie"

In 2007 Sonja graduated from Rhodes University with a BA(Hons) in Drama. She is currently reading for M.A in Drama specialising in Choreography.

With an eye for design, Sonja has worked on numerous departmental productions and designed sets and costumes for both UBOM and First Physical Theatre Company. She has also directed and produced two dance films.

Sonja's main interest lies in the instinctual and uncanny qualities of the moving body. She is also eager to explore the idea of embodiment through the techniqe and inspiration of Butoh dance.

Guest Artists/Collaborators 2009

Shaun Acker

Shaun Acker (Student Performer) "Inner Piece"

Shaun is a Rhodes University Masters student specializing in aerial dance and choreography; an evolving form of dance utilizing various aerial apparatuses to suspend the body in order to discover alternative movement possibilities. He made his debut as an aerial choreographer at the National Arts Festival as part of the Fresh II program in his work a/part to connect in 2007, and performed with First Physical in Ozymandias in 2008.

He learnt the solo trapeze while he and his family were touring with Boswell-Wilkie Circus and Brian’s Circus and has trained with world renowned aerialists Tsogt Bayasgalan and Stanley Bower (winner of the Gold Clown award at the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo). Shaun has also performed at Circus Hippodrome at Gold Reef City, alongside South Africa’s leading circus performers, where he won the award for Most Promising Circus Artist in 2004.

As a musician, Shaun holds a Bachelor of Music degree having specialized in composition with Peter Louis van Dijk; alto saxophone with Rick van Heerden; and clarinet with Claire Webb. He has won the SAMRO scholarship for composition from 2005 – 2007, participated in the Aberdeen music competition in Scotland in 2006 and received commissions from The National Youth Jazz Festival, Ubom! and has composed for acclaimed South African playwright, Reza de Wet’s musical play, Heathcliff Goes Home. Shaun also holds a Royal Schools Licentiate in Saxophone performance and has performed as a soloist with the East Cape Opera Company, performing the notorious Concertino da Camera by Jacques Ibert. He has also been a member of the Latin Jazz band ‘Los Habaneros’, performing alongside the Buena Vista Social Club at the Out of Africa Jazz Festival in 2007, and is currently a part-time staff member of woodwind at Kingswood College.

Shaun has also studied acting with Lindsay Reardon and acted in Andrew Buckland’s The Man Who and The Other Show at the Rhodes Drama Department, and won the prestigious gold award for best actor for his portrayal of the character Mr “O” in Heike Gehring’s award winning play, Die Bannelinge, which won five of six awards at the Sanlam Prys vir Afrikaans Teater competition at the KKNK in 2009.

Joni Barnard

Joni Barnard (Student Choreographer) "New Voices 2009"

After cultivating a love for Drama and the Arts in High School, Joni went on to study Drama at Rhodes University where she obtained an Honours degree in Acting and Choreography. Joni is currently reading for her Masters in Choreography and has been involved in many productions and workshops and has performed at the National Arts Festival. Through the study of choreography Joni became particularly interested in Physical Theatre and the use of the body as the primary medium of communication rather than text. In 2008 Joni choreographed Epicene: Portrait in Two, which formed part of the New Voices Programme on the NAF fringe. In 2008 Joni became involved in the Amaphiko Township Dance project and is currently working towards implementing Dance as a Matric Subject at Grade 8, 9, 10 and 11 levels. She is passionate about language and the use/manipulation of language in performance and is an avid believer in the power that the arts hold in education.

Andrew Buckland

Andrew Buckland (Director) "Stilted"

Since 1981 Andrew Buckland has been producing original theatre work employing a dynamic and exciting combination of visual comedy, sophisticated political satire, clowning, physical theatre, mime and an explosive performance style. These works have become synonymous with provocative, entertaining and stimulating theatre both in South Africa and internationally.

The original plays, including The ‘Ugly Noo Noo’, ‘Between The Teeth’, ‘Bloodstream’, ‘Feedback’ and ‘The Well Being’, have won a total of 20 national and international theatre awards including several for best performance, best script, best production and play of the year.

Since July 1992 he has been employed as a Senior Lecturer and then Associate Professor in the Drama Department at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, and has been instrumental in the initiation of new undergraduate, honours and masters courses, particularly in the area of contemporary performance. 2008 saw him take up a year's contract with the global phenomenon of Cirque du Soleil from which he has now recently returned.

Kyle de Boer

Kyle de Boer (Student Choreographer) "New Voices 2009"

Kyle Dylan de Boer is currently in his second year reading for his MA (Choreography)at Rhodes University Drama Department. He has trained with First Physical and performed with the company in "Ozymandias" at the National Arts Festival, 2008, where he also performed in "The Hamlet Machine" on the Fringe Programme. Over the last two years, Kyle has been working with Janet Buckland on a community project implementing Dance Studies as a Matric subject in Township Schools. He also assists her with The Amaphiko Township Project, which teaches practical dance curriculum in township schools. Kyle will also be choreographing for the First Physical Theatre Company’s "New Voices 2009" programme on the Fringe at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival.

Jenni-lee Crewe

Jenni-lee Crewe (Guest Designer)

Jenni-lee Crewe is currently Design Lecturer for the Drama Division in the Wits School of Arts. She teaches Design and Production studies as well as Physical Theatre in the movement department. She received her MFA in Design & Theatre Production from Tulane University in New Orleans in 2006. Before that she worked for the First Physical Theatre Company as their Education Officer as well as a Choreographer, Designer and Performer. During this time she also taught choreography and design studies at Rhodes University after completing her BA Honours degree there. Her area of interest is in creatively researching the relationship between body, image and text. As well as designing sets and costumes for various kinds of productions, she continues with her interest in the notion of a physical theatre in which collaboration becomes a way to enrich the theatre experience. Jenni-lee has done design work in New Orleans as well as choreographing and designing work in South Africa. While working for the First Physical Theatre Company, she co-wrote with Prof. Gordon the Dance Educator’s Handbook for high school learners and developed the Professional Training Course for adult learners in dance and dance composition. Jenni-lee also has experience and interest in site-specific and installation work.

Nicola Elliott

Nicola Elliott (Guest Performer) "Major/Minor"

Chris Fisher

Chris Fisher (Guest Performer) "Stilted"

Chris Fisher completed a BA Degree in Drama and Human Kinetics & Ergonomics at Rhodes University in 2008. He has worked on numerous productions within the drama department has performed at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival including: - performing in 'Confessions of a Large Posterior' and working as Stage-Manager for ‘Prodigal’, 2007. In 2008, Fisher performed in 'HamletMachine' and was also involved in an Mnet/OddComplex Production, 'Circadia' for mobile television series in the same year.

At present, Fisher is completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Enterprise Management at Rhodes University. He hopes to shape a career for himself within the Dramatic Arts and is continually striving to find creative ways to pursue his dreams.

Awelani Moyo

Awelani Lena Moyo (Guest Performer)

Zimbabwean Awelani Moyo is an emerging writer, director and performing artist. Born in the small town of Gweru, Moyo grew up mostly in Bulawayo until she moved to South Africa with her parents in 1999. She obtained a BA Honours Degree in Directing, Creative Writing and Acting (for which she won the Patric Mynhardt Acting Prize in 2006) from Rhodes University. Moyo has also recently completed her dissertation for a Masters coursework degree in Contemporary Performance at Rhodes University, Grahamstown. She is the recipient of the 2008 Dramatic Learning Spaces Conference debut paper competition. In 2006 she performed as a voice actor for The First Physical Theatre Company’s production of Bessie’s Head, and also featured in the dance film Falling, directed by Bailey Snyman of Matchbox Theatre. In 2007 she worked with Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year award winner for dance Acty Tang, co-writing the text for his production Chaste which was performed on the main programme of the Grahamstown National Arts Festival (N.A.F.). That year she also performed as the voice of Scifest Africa’s documentary directed by Paul Mills, and appeared in a production of Medea (M/other house) directed by Ingrid Wylde of Blue Sky Productions. More recently, Moyo staged her own independent production entitled Composition Z – The House of Stone at the N.A.F. in 2008.

This year, she is based in the University of Cape Town’s Drama department. She will be working on a project entitled Searching for Kindling as part of the GIPCA (Gordon Institute for Performing and Creative Arts) year-long fellowship programme, through which she is able to appear.

Sonja Smit

Sonja Smit (Student Choreographer) "New Voices 2009"

In 2007 Sonja graduated from Rhodes University with a BA(Hons) in Drama. She is currently reading for M.A in Drama specialising in Choreography.

Sonja's main interest lies in the instinctual and uncanny qualities of the moving body. She is also eager to explore the idea of embodiment through the techniqe and inspiration of Butoh dance.

Guest Artists/Collaborators 2008

Ricardo Daniels

Richardo Daniels (Guest performer)

Richardo has worked with Jazz Art Dance Theatre for the last three years as an apprentice. During this time he trained in contemporary dance, African, tap and contract improvisation as well as teaching a community hip hop/ Black street dance class. In 2004 he performed in "Rain in a Dead Man's Footprints" under the direction of Alfred Henkel at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. After graduating at the end of 2005, Richardo has joined the First Physical Theatre Company as a resident performer for 2006, and has performed with the Company as a guest artist in Go (2007).

Christine Maree

GUEST COLLABORATORS 2008: (Ozymandias)

SCULPTURAL DESIGN:

CHRISTINE MAREE

Christeen Maree is a free-lance artist and sculptor and has displayed her work at a number of student exhibitions. After just completing her MFA (Rhodes University, 2008), Christeen is currently working as an assistant to the Technical Manager and Fringe Arts Manger for the National Arts Festival, 2008.

John Allen

JOHN/ALLEN PROJECT:

JOHN ALLEN

John Allen is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of Theater and Dance at Tulane University. He directs John/Allen Project which just returned from performances in Salt Lake City, Utah to a sold-out audience. One of his latest works, Link/Unlink was selected from 23 dance companies in the southwest region of the USA to go to the national performance where festival adjudicator Margo Sappington stated, “it broke new ground for Regional Dance America.” While there, it was selected for the gala performance from among the top selected companies of every region (92 companies, 2,000 dancers total) in the nation. He also co-directs and performs with New Orleans-based, Tsunami Dance Company which was recently invited to perform in Brooklyn, New York at the 2006 Wave Rising Series and which won the Big Easy Classical Award for Best Modern Dance Production in 2006. John has performed with the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Stephen Koester and Dancers and danced in original works by Doug Varone, Sean Curran and Daniel Ezralow. He has done teaching and choreographic residencies with such international companies as First Physical Theatre (Grahamstown, South Africa), Kannon Dance (St. Petersburg, Russia), and Ekaterinburg Contemporary Arts Centre (Ekaterinburg, Russia). At the local level, in addition to creating work for Tsunami, John has been commissioned to set works on such Louisiana companies as Baton Rouge Ballet and Of Moving Colors. John is also active in teaching having recently taught residencies at the Open Look Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, the University of Utah, Utah Valley State College, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as well as master classes at the American College Dance Festival, Louisiana Dance Festival and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts.

“Allen moved with such wild grace that the floor underneath him seemed to give way. ... Allen mastered a kind of unruly twist on control and abandon, and Morris matched his fury. It’s a storm of a dance; Allen and Morris captivated throughout.” (Nancy Wozny on the duet “Descent”, Dance Magazine)

“an engaging, velvety performer, and the choreography .... outstanding, beautiful, emotionally charged, mature” (Patrik Widrig, Choreographer, New York)

Anna Morris

ANNA MORRIS

Anna Morris was born in Zimbabwe where she trained in ballet and modern dance. In 1994 she began an apprenticeship with the internationally acclaimed Tumbuka Dance Company and later went on to perform for the company and teach on their dance foundation course. She staged several collaborative projects in Zimbabwe and South Africa with Dance People and the Stillwater Collaboration before creating a series of solo performances.

She has a degree in physical theatre at Rhodes University in South Africa. While at Rhodes she taught and performed for The First Physical Theater Company. She also taught for the Grahamstown Township Dance Project.

She is currently working at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts|Riverfront School choreographing and teaching modern dance and is performing with Tsunami Dance Company and with John/Allen Project.

Diogo De Lima

DIOGO DE LIMA

Diogo de Lima received training in music, theaters and dance at Conservatório Maestro Julião in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and also attended the Royal Academy of Dance of London and the Toshie Kobayashi Academy of Dance. He has received many awards for his dancing and choreography, both in Brazil and internationally. He was most recently nominated in 2003 for the prestigious Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative.

He began dancing professionally in 1996 and has appeared as a guest artist with several dance companies in Brazil. Among others, Mr. de Lima has worked with choreographers Ana Bottosso, Ivonice Satie, Eduard Bonnis and Ilara Lopes. In 1999 he joined Grupo Corpo Brazilian Dance Theater and performed with that company until 2006 under choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras. He has performed in theaters and dance festivals all over the world.

Donna Crump

DONNA CRUMP

Donna Crump is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and is currently a dance student at Tulane University, New Orleans. Donna studied intensively at the New Orleans School for Creative Arts, where she graduated in 2001. She also studied dance at Long Island University for two years in 2002. Since then, Donna has studied with Brazil’s premier dance company, Grupo Corpo, and has performed with the Newcomb Dance Company. She is also a recipient of the NAACP-ACT SO award for dance. Donna is currently pursuing a B.F.A. degree in dance at Tulane.

TIERNEY ST. JOHN

Tierney St. John was born in Montclair, New Jersey where she trained in modern dance from a young age. In 2003, Tierney moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to study at Tulane University. During her undergraduate years, she was a member of Newcomb Dance Company. In 2007, Tierney received a degree in both Sociology and Dance. Upon graduation, Tierney was invited to join Tsunami Dance Company based in New Orleans, and has recently began to teach community classes for the company.

RHODES UNIVERSITY MUSIC DEPARTMENT:

Composer/Musicians:

John Edwards

JOHN EDWARDS

John Edwards maintains parallel careers as a performing musician and lecturer at Rhodes University Department of Music and Musicology, where he is developing a Jazz Studies programme. He studied classical piano as a youth, and enjoyed a varied career as a professional musician for several years before enrolling at UKZN, where he graduated in 2004 with a Masters in Music (cum laude: Jazz Performance and Composition).

Edwards’s performing experiences are varied and extensive, from musical director and pianist for numerous cabarets and musicals, to entertainment for cruise liners and venues in South Africa and abroad, and popular music projects such as professional recordings and live performances at national music festivals including Splashy Fen and Awesome Africa. In 2002 he featured on a recording by local chart-topping band Perez which was released by an international music label. In Kwazulu-Natal, he was the leader and composer of a jazz band, Inside Out, which performed regularly in Durban at jazz venues and for corporate and private functions. The band was a regional winner in the Old Mutual Jazz Encounters Competition in 2002. Upon moving to Grahamstown, he established the band, New Coat of Paint, with recent performances including SAFM Jazz @ The Trading Store at the 2006 National Arts Festival, and collaborating with a Dutch Dance Company, Mo[ve]ment.

Mark Duby

MARK DUBY

Marc Duby was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree (majoring in English) from the University of Cape Town in 1974, beginning his professional career as bassist in Cape Town in 1972. He returned from overseas to begin musical studies at UCT, culminating in the award of the first masters’ degree in jazz performance (cum laude) in Durban 1987. A prize-winning composer of film music, he is active as a performer, composer/arranger, and music educator, and currently is Professor and Head of Department of Music and Musicology at Rhodes University. Marc Duby recently completed his PhD thesis on Soundpainting, the sign language for live composition devised by the New York composer/saxophonist Walter Thompson.