First Physical has been fortunate enough to have Sifiso Kweyama for a week's residency where he was able to share his knowlege and skill, take class and also choreograph the compnay's latest new work, Tracking Memories.
Born in Durban Kwa-Zulu Natal where he attended Nombayingana Combine School, Zeph Dlomo High School and Kwesethu High School in KwaMashu, Sifiso first joined PHENDUKA Dance Theatre in 1989 where he began his training under Alfred Hinkel (of Jazzart Dance Theatre in Cape Town). In 1992, he was invited to perform in David Kramer and Taliep Petersen’s musical, “Poison”, where he re-established his Cape Town connection with Alfred Hinkel. In 1993, Sifiso joined Jazzart Dance Theatre and resumed his training under Alfred Hinkel. As a member of this company, he developed into an extremely accomplished performer, appearing in the award-winning Jazzart productions of “Medea”, “Junction”, “uMoya Womzansi” and “Bolero”.
In 2000 he was proud to be associated as a choreographer and a singer with the highly acclaimed production of “Moya Wa Sechaba”, where he sang alongside Sibongile Khumalo. In 2001 he left for Durban, re-establishing PHENDUKA Dance Theatre with Sbonakaliso Ndaba and Ondine Bello. Whilst at PHENDUKA he choreographed a number of works: ‘Excuse Me!’ (for Ballet Theatre Afrikan), ‘Recognition - An Every woman’s Story’, ‘The Sound That Comes Back To You from The World’, ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’ - A collaboration between Durban’s dance companies: PHENDUKA Dance Theatre, Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company, Siwela Sonke, Flatfoot Dance Company and The Floating Outfit Project (2001). In 2003 Sifiso re-joined JAZZART Dance Theatre as a trainee artistic director. While at Jazzart he continued doing what he loves best - teaching the Jazzart trainees and the company. He also co-choreographed the Klipfontein Corridor Project involving about 80 children from the Western Cape primary schools as well as the highly acclaimed JAZZART and MAGNET Theatre production Rain in a Dead Man’s Footprints.
Dance, teaching and choreography has taken Kweyama to many parts of the world including Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Germany, Angola, USA, Palestine and Holland, to name a few. Sifiso has been invited on two occasions by the universities of Southern California and South Florida to present lectures in contemporary and African dance and to choreograph. While enjoying these international engagements, Sifiso has chosen Johannesburg to pursue his goal - passing on the skills he has learnt over the years and train young performers for careers as professional artists. In 2004 he formed OKHELA Dance Theatre and created works such as The Language, Pictures on the Wall, Ngaphansi Komthunzi, Watermelon and Muramba - a collaboration with Tumbuka Dance Company from Zimbabwe. Since his move to Johannesburg, Sifiso has taught for companies such as: Tshwane Dance Theatre, Ballet Theatre Afrikan and Moving Into Dance Mophatong, to name a few. He has also been teaching on a part-time basis since 2005, taking African Dance at Tshwane University of Technology as well as teaching contemporary dance at University of Pretoria teaching.
Kweyama has been an Artistic Project Manager/Coordinator for the Dance Forum between 2005 and 2009, which include facilitating and coordinating the Young Choreographers Programme and the Gauteng MEC Stepping Stones Development Programme.