By Mango OMC
On 28 March 2025, at Nasdak Rooftop Venue, Cape Town will be treated to Dance for All’s new production, Un-Touched.
An original production funded by the National Arts Council, this captivating performance explores the impact of global and local phenomena on the new generation of millennials.
Under the banner of the new Dance for All InSPIRAtions Dance and Performance Initiative, choreography from the iconic Adele Blank, for the revived InSPIRAtions Company, lives alongside choreography from Yaseen Manuel, Allison Hendricks, Mthetheleli Dlakavu, Thimna Thethani, Philasande Majikela and Stacy Barrios for the InSPIRAtions Youth Company.
“This is the debut production from the new InSPIRAtions Dance and Performance Initiative,” says Allison Hendricks, CEO and Artistic Director of Dance for All South Africa. “The live music collaboration features talented musicians from the South African College of Music, with music interludes by the renowned Elton Lodewyk. Currently based in Europe, Lodewyk is a celebrated music composer, pianist, and singer who crafts music for libraries worldwide. We are confident that audiences will experience an auditory and visual journey, capturing the essence of the millennial generation’s zeitgeist.”
Blank has been a significant figure in the world of classical ballet and contemporary dance for over five decades. Affectionately known as "South Africa's Mother of Contemporary Dance", Blank has always emphasised the importance of inclusivity and breaking down social barriers through dance.
Un-Touched explores how the millennial generation has been shaped by their experiences of the world today – delving into the cultural, intellectual, ethical, social, and political impacts of this era.
“My piece is called ADULTING,” says Philasande Majikela, actor, dancer and choreographer, “It’s a representation of how men (and women) should be empowered to show up as they are – not as they are told to be. There is direct pressure put on men to be a certain way. There are men that dance, which is not the socially accepted norm, but why not? There should be room for expression. Similarly, women should not feel that they need to be masculine in a corporate setting in order to succeed. They should be able to embrace their femininity. ADULTING encapsulates what I feel authenticity is about.”
“The millennial generation is encouraged by its resilience, creativity, and ability to adapt in arapidly changing world,” says Hendricks. “Through choreography, we aim to help themexpress their stories through the universal language of movement and music.”
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