Boogie Shoes

This weekend I got to experience the night life of Cape Town...woof.  I went to a few popular places around town that all the cape townians go off too on the weekends to party. A few members from Jazzart took me to a place called Galaxy, the biggest nightclub of Cape Town, where we stole the dance floor and boogied till wee hours of the morning. The next night we went to Long Street which is infamous for never sleeping, where we also went into quite a few different places to check out what each club/bar was like, what kind of music they played, how they danced, how the people interacted...it reminded me a lot of the New Orleans scene with the high balconies and people jiving with masks on. I can't wait to bring back some township style dancing to the states. The people here have an incredible amount of soul when it comes to the dance floor.

Today was a relaxing day around Cape Town where I went into the suburbs along the water. I had a delicious lunch with Eltena and her husband Charles, and a member of JazzArt Tamsyn. Afterwards we strolled along the shops and crafts on the water and finally made our way to Boulders Point to see the penguins. Except when we got there we ended up seeing Michelle Obama instead? The Obamas landed here in Cape Town today to show respect to Mandela, who is in critical condition at the hospital. Funny how I am as close as I have ever been to my very own president here in South Africa than I am in my own country.

Tomorrow begins the start of production week for "Azishe" so it will most likely be very chaotic. I'm excited to get into the theatre and set the piece on stage. The adrenaline will be running high all week. Opening night is this Thursday at 7 pm in Artscape Theatre! Can't believe it is time already?!

Goodnight Cape Town...xoxo
 -Annie

3

Can't believe today is the halfway checkpoint of my experience here studying in Cape Town. Three weeks have gone by and still another three to go. I have gained so much already....knowledge, education, skills, technique, friends, family, and an even greater love for what I do. I'm excited to see where these next three weeks take me, but I get sadder by the day knowing my time is slowly coming to an end. I miss my friends and family back home also, my heart is being pulled in two directions. Jeesh time really does fly by when youre having fun. I do have to say though, I find myself much happier these days when I'm dancing as much as I am now. Dance is my drug.

Xoxo
-AnnaBanana

Hakuna Matata - It Means No Worries

After all the craziness and blood, sweat, and tears in rehearsal (no exaggeration) it's nice to come home after a long day to a cozy home and family. Tonight I asked if we could spend some extra time together with my host family by watching "The Lion King", my all time Disney favorite. To my surprise, the boys who are 7 and 9 have yet to see it until tonight. Shocking face. The whole time while watching the movie I just kept thinking how grateful I am to be doing this. I mean to a) be in South Africa b) interning with a world renown dance company JazzArt Dance Theatre c) be hosted by the most caring and warming family who really makes me feel like I'm at home d) this popcorn I'm shoving into my mouth and hot cocoa I'm pouring down my throat and e) the list can go on and on. Tonight was just a reminder for me that I one day really yearn for a family of my own with someone who I truly care about. Even after the craziest of days at work, coming home to a house full of love is such a rewarding feeling.

 Hakuna Matata
--- Maria

Lollipop

I get asked a lot what I like most about Cape Town. I could go on about a lot of things but what I like most honestly is the conversations with the people. It's so refreshing to just speak without feeling like you have to watch what you're saying or rearrange your wording. The conversations I have here are all open and honest and intellectual. The history of South Africa is brought up in conversation by someone every day, seriously every day. I love how the people are willing to talk about their history and how it has affected their lives today. I love hearing about the passion behind their nationality. And I love how even though Apartheid ended practically 20 years ago it is stilled used as a means of education to form a new South Africa...like the American civil war. And I love love love how I can speak freely to someone of a skin color other than my own about how we each feel we are represented in our cultures. It's funny because we are represented differently but yet we really are no different. Our anatomy...our histories...our blood. We are the same people. 

Stuck in the Mud

Fridays at work are always hard because your focus usually seems to be somewhere other than work. Today was a low energy kind of day where I sensed the focus of the room was somewhere other than where it was suppose to be.  Hey it's Friday, it happens to the best of us. 

Sometimes work gets difficult or frustrating when you spend too much time focusing on one thing which leads you to lose your focus entirely momentarily. We played a short game called "Stuck in the Mud" for a change of scenery. The game is played by designating one player to be a 'police officer' of some sort who runs around the room trying to tag other players whom don't want to be 'arrested' of tagged. If a player is tagged by the 'police officer', the player  must stand still with their legs wide until another player gets a chance to crawl through them, which will in turn 'free' the arrested player until they're tagged again. This may sound like games you've played in your childhood that you may have called something else. 

So after we had some time to act like children and let go of some different energy, we regathered and were better focused for the task at hand. It was a great change of pace because we got to laugh and get to know each other on a friendlier basis. 

Moral of my story here...it's okay to mix things up a bit when you're repeatedly doing the same thing. When you're feeling stuck in the mud, you're probably not the only one.  

"I get by with a little help from my friends" - The Beatles

Xoxo

 -Maria

Why do we choose not to give? Why do we choose to give?

I am getting to know the work ethic of the dancers at JazzArt very well while rehearsing in the studio, and they are all hard workers. But it's not until we step outside of the space that we get to know each other better, and spending time together outside of the 9-5 work day gives me a chance to really get to know the kind of people they are and gives us a chance to share each others stories. What I'm learning is a few differences between the character of a standard American and South African that I want to share with you...

A major thing I see here in South Africa that I don't see quite often in America is the willingness to give. In America, in most cases at least, if a homeless person or person in need is asking for food we turn the other cheek. We keep walking and we ignore the person in need. We automatically assume that it is all an act and that we work hard for our food so why should we give to those who are on the streets.  In South Africa, you feed the person .... These are their people! They look out after each other, and if a person is hungry you find food to give them. They know this person needs it more than they do. I was asked if we do that in America. Shamefully I said no,we don't feed the homeless unless they're in a shelter ... And they're jaw dropped. She said "What!? That's wrong! You're telling me you don't help a hungry person when you see them starving? That act is not appropriate here in our streets."

So to Americans that are reading this, there is some food for thought. (No pun intended)

Goodnight again,
 - Maria

June 16, 1976

The morning of June 16, 1976 high school students of Soweto, South Africa led a series of protests. A series of protests which involved the youth of South Africa to join together to riot in response of the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974 which forced blacks to use the Afrikaans language in schools. It is said that up to 20,000 black students participated in the protest, which was originally intended to be peaceful and carefully planned. As they marched and rallied down the streets of Soweto carrying signs and chanting "Down With Afrikaans" the police stood close by armed with deadly weapons and ready to attack. Colonel Kleingeld, a police officer at the protest, fired the first shot at a student who had thrown a rock at him and from there caused massive chaos and panic.

Today we honor the estimated 700 people, mostly South African youth, who lost their lives due to the protest.  June 16 or "Youth Day" is a public holiday in South Africa commemorating the Soweto riots of 1976.

Above is an iconic picture of 13 year old student Hector Pieterson who was shot by South African police during the protest being carried in the arms of 18 year old student Mbuyisa  Makhubo.  Pieterson was taken to a nearby clinic where he was pronounced dead at the scene. Makhubo was threatened and harassed from police after this photograph was released. He wrote a letter to his mother in 1978 while in hiding and hasn't been seen or heard from since. This image brings home the brutalities of the Apartheid regime to people inside and outside of South Africa. National Youth Day is a day to honor young people and to bring attention to their needs of an equality driven estate. 

Photograph taken by: Sam Nzima 

"I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself." - Nelson Mandela

Xoxo .... Maria