Ballet production to impress Windhoek

In their first presentation since their hugely successful run at the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) with PassionFruit, the First Rain Dance Theatre group will again take to the stage - this time in an African ballet production called Anima. Anima is a spectacular full length production, involving some of Namibia’s most celebrated artists such as Steffen List, Lize Ehlers, Lila Swanepoel, Willem Very, Taati Sibolile, Shishani and Françios Olivier. The show is supported by the Franco-Namibian Cultural centre (FNCC) in the framework of its event series Dance Showcase Namibia’. It is also supported by dbAudio, the City of Windhoek and the Windhoek Observer. Organisers say Anima is a modern Namibian fairytale for adults. The story begins with an otherworldly being, played by the talented Grant Edem, who falls to earth from the heavens. He is found by an earthly tribe, led by Trixie Munyama and Tuli Shityuwete. They heal him and teach him to dance. In return, the angel teaches the tribe to fly. This is a fairytale that relates very directly to the lives of urban Namibians and addresses the current gender crisis that we are now dealing with on a daily basis, as well as the struggles of modern Namibians as we try to reconcile our traditions with our contemporary lives. Anima is an explosion of Namibian fashion, film, photography, sound and movement and boasts stars such as Shishani and Ehlers, who will be performing live, and List, who is creating the original soundtrack. The costumes for the show are all personally designed and handcrafted by Taati Sibolile, one of Namibia’s most talented designers and who is hot off the catwalk at the Swahili Fashion Week. This full length Namibian traditional ballet will take both the dancers and the audience on a journey of self-discovery and an exploration of the joy to be found even in the darkest of times. The show will be staged at the NIPAM Amphitheatre in Olympia from March 27 to 29 at 19:00. Tickets for the show are N$60 in advance and can be bought at the FNCC, while tickets at the venue will cost N$80. WINDHOEK STAFF REPORTER