Dance Auditions - Integrated Dance Internship - Newtown , Gauteng , South Africa

Dance Auditions Integrated Dance Internship

Agulhas Theatre Works - Gladys Faith Agulhas

Agulhas Theatre Works is a non-profit, integrated, contemporary dance company promoting dance/movement for people with diverse disABILITIES. We are offering young adults of mixed abilities, between the ages of 18 and 23, an exciting opportunity to study dance. Candidates with all physical disabilities, hearing or visually impaired, wheelchair bound or reliant on crutches, may apply.

The Integrated Dance Internship will commence in March 2009 for one year under the tutelage of award winning Choreographer and internationally renowned Integrated Dance Education Practitioner, Gladys Agulhas. While previous dance experience is not required, a genuine interest and passion for dance and a willingness to commit to intensive rehearsals/classes is a must.

(dance.co.za) (dancedirectory.co.za)

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"I will be having Interviews & Auditions, for students I will be training for the Intership for 2009, with the idea to transfer, potential dancer into ATW the professional Company.

This will give me the opportunity to create a bigger artistic scale for Dancers with diverse disability".

Warmest Regards
Gladys AgulhasWinner of DAC Mosadi wa Konokono Award 2007
(Woman of Substance)
Member of WDA-Europe
(under the auspises of IDC /ITI UNESCO)

AGULHAS THEATRE WORKS-ATW
email:atw@artslink.co.za
website:www.agulhastheatreworks.co.za
tel: +27 11 833 5624 ext 232
Fax:086 673 7339 Cell: 083 318 2728

Gladys Faith Agulhas

 DOLORES MAYÁN

Gladys Faith Agulhas

Sólo sé que mi experiencia al trabajar con personas discapacitadas y ver cuánto pueden lograr me inspira para hacer el mundo mejor."


International Dance Day 2008
29 de abril del 2008 - ITI/UNESCO

 

Crear coreografías que retratan las vidas de personas minusválidas promoverá "Integración" e "Independencia".

El Instituto Internacional de Teatro (ITI), en asociación con la UNESCO y una Delegación Permanente ante la UNESCO, celebran el Día Internacional de la Danza cada 29 de abril, desde 1982.

Este año, el Mensaje por el Día Internacional de la Danza lo entregará mediante un video la señora Gladys Faith Agulhas, bailarina y coreógrafa sudafricana de danza contemporánea muy conocida en todo el mundo. La señora Agulhas imparte clases y trabaja arduamente por desarrollar la danza moderna en su país, donde trabaja con comunidades en desventaja y desarrolla habilidades y capacidades de danza con discapacitados.

Dos bailarinas sudafricanas de danza moderna, una de las cuales es discapacitada, bailarán para 150 invitados, y también se exhibirá un corto documental acerca del trabajo que realiza la señora Agulhas. Se difundirá otro mensaje, este de la señora Ilona Copen, Directora Ejecutiva del Concurso Internacional de Ballet de Nueva York y Presidenta del Comité Internacional de Danza de ITI/UNESCO.

El evento está organizado por el Comité Internacional de Danza y la Delegación Permanente de Sudáfrica ante la UNESCO en cooperación con el Instituto Internacional de Teatro (ITI).

(fuente ARTEZ)

"El espíritu de la danza no tiene color, no tiene forma definida, ni talla. Pero tiene el poder de la unidad, la fuerza y la belleza que se encuentra en nosotros. Cada alma que baila, joven, vieja, o
una persona que vive con una disCAPACIDAD
, crea y transforma ideas en movimientos de arte que cambian nuestra vida. La danza es el espejo que refleja lo imposible hecho posible, para que todo el mundo pueda tocarlo, sentirlo, escucharlo y experimentarlo. Los sonidos de nuestros corazones y nuestra alma son nuestro ritmo. Cada uno de nuestros movimientos revela la historia de la humanidad. Es el elemento en el cual el espíritu humano puede abrazar la libertad absoluta. Cada vez que nuestras manos tocan, ocurre algo bello. Lo que el alma recuerda, el cuerpo lo representa a través del movimiento. Por ello la danza es la fuerza curativa a la que todos podemos acceder, tú eres mis ojos y yo soy tus pies. Celebrad el Día Internacional de la Danza. Usad vuestra pasión por la danza para curaros mutuamente. Unificad vuestra comunidad de danza. Y lo más importante, sed los mejores que podáis ser. Somos capaces de permanecer unidos a través del poder y el espíritu de la danza".

Dancing for independence

Aunque Agulhas dice que enseña danza por amor al arte y para descubrir cosas interesantes, ella añade que detrás de la compañía hay un mensaje político.

Crear coreografías que retratan la vida de los discapacitados promueve integración e independencia. "La sociedad quiere que los discapacitados mendiguen", dice mientras flexiona sus musculosos brazos . "Ellos [la sociedad] no desea discapacitados independientes; quieren que dependan de ellos."

"Aunque las personas son comprensivas, no están proporcionando las herramientas que necesitan para ser independientes", dice Agulhas. "A través de la danza podemos demostrar que son capaces de trabajar". "Están diciéndote ... puedo hacerlo".

Gladys estudió Ballet desde jóven en el Albertus Pop centro recreativo en en Eldorado Park al sur Johannesburg. Ella continúa su preparación de danza y estudios en el Johannesburg Dance Foundation donde completa en 3 años intensivos su formación. Ex-senior bailarina del Johannesburg Dance Theatre.

People with disabilities and social exclusion

 

Johannesburg tiene una población de discapacitados que están excluídos física y socialmente. Estas barreras de exclusión son evidentes en el acceso a la educación, al empleo y en el acceso físico en los transportes. Existen prejuicios y actitudes negativas contra aquellos que tienen una incapacidad en general. Las personas discapacitadas son a menudo invisibles para los gobiernos municipales y más especialmente si son pobres.

A pesar del gran número de personas minusválidas que viven en Sudáfrica - cinco millones, y más de 80 millones en el continente africano, existen pocos servicios y oportunidades para participar en condiciones de igualdad en la sociedad. La mayoría están desempleados y viviendo de un subsidio mensual.

 

La bailarina sudafricana recibió el primer premio nacional del Departamento de las Artes y la Cultura “Mosadi Wa Konokono” (Woman of Substance) en 2007 para honrar y reconocer las contribuciones extraordinarias que las mujeres locales ,élla era la candidata de la provincia de Gauteng, han hecho a sus comunidades.




Fundadora del Agulhas Theatre Works, ATW, es coreografía, bailarina y artista independiente.


 











 

"Hace 7 años que el ATW ha implementado programas estratégicos para cambiar las actitudes de las personas con incapacidades hacia si mismos de la dependencia a la independencia y la habilidad de reconocer sus derechos, cambiando los estereotipos públicos y la percepción de sus habilidades. También el papel como contribuyente de las personas con discapacidades en nuestras comunidades usando el poder de la Danza".



 




Ha sido nominada y ganadora de numerosos premios de coreografía contemporánea y danza en Sudáfrica,y desde el año 2000, en el FNB, Vita Contemporary Choreography and Dance Umbrella reconociendo su trabajo en Gauteng.





Agulhas realizó un gran papel facilitando "Outreach programmes" para el Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre durante la visita que realizó a escuelas y centros comunitarios de Johannesburg.

 

(The State Theatre Dance Company and the shaping of

contemporary dance in South Africa)

El FNB Dance Umbrella es el mejor festival anual de la danza contemporánea sudafricana. Es una plataforma abierta que incluye obras encargadas a profesionales de la danza, a compañías internacionales y a jóvenes agrupaciones locales.




Es ex-bailarina senior del desaparecido Teatro de Danza de Johanesburgo, y recibió el premio a la Mujer del Momento en Eldorado Park por la promoción de las artes en la comunidad, ya que es cofundadora de la Fundación Kliptown Arts, y a su vez enseña en varias compañías e instituciones . También formó parte de Shuttle 99, un programa de intercambio en el campo de la educación de danza entre los país nórdicos y Sudáfrica. Ha estudiado Educación de Danza Contemporánea Integrada en Londres y Suiza con el profesor y artista independiente Adam Benjamin (“Pretending to be Something, Now Coming from Nothing”, "Tshwaragano Dance Project"). En cuanto a sus creaciones, Agulhas presentó una pieza en colaboración con Remix Dance Project en la Conferencia sobre Coreografía para Bailarines con Discapacidad Física. En 2002 presentó ‘Referees Society Special Training Programme’ para la academia Golden Lions Rugby Union. A su vez, es miembro de la Alianza Mundial Europea de Danza y de la Women’s Voice Arts Africa, WoVA.

Encounters:

The beauty of body and movement

 

Junto a Adam McKinney (US) Gladys Agulhas creó una nueva coreografía para el Afrovibes festival, (2007) en teatros de Amsterdam y de La Haya. 'Encounters", con bailarines de dos compañías sudafricanas: Agulhas Theatre Works y Vuyani Dance Theatre Company.


 




Giving another face to physical disabilities : (2007)

"Sometimes people just go: 'What is this?'
"It's a mindset, most people think it's not supposed to be here."
"It's an abstract from the whole piece which shows audiences another way to encounter dance with the physically disabled."
"The response was very positive and it's been so successful."
"It allows me to do so much more, break boundaries."
"Last year, on International Disability Day, we opened a show for people to see the possibilities and have a different audience come in."
"We want to show that the theatre isn't only for able bodies and see what more openings we can allow."
"At our workshops there's no discrimination, we go in with no preconceptions."
"We work and move together without looking at physical ability."
"You have to know you can create more beautiful movement, rhythm and speed with the capabilities of your natural body."
"I want to use my talent to make an impact on lives and make people see each other as people. We are all dancing beings with our heartbeats as the rhythm. Dance is a feeling, it's spiritual, it's all that which is living."
"We need to explore where disabled and contemporary dance fits in."
I just know that my experience of working with disabled people and seeing how much they can accomplish inspires me to make the world better."




 

Gladys Agulhas está considerada como una de las mejores de la danza sudafricana, demostrando que las mujeres están logrando puestos importantes como bailarinas y coreógrafas creativas y enérgicas de Sudáfrica . Encounters es una animado y expresivo trabajo de danza que expresa la belleza de ser diferente y la necesidad de construir una realidad social más igualitaria. Encounters analiza la vida diaria emocional y física de varias personas con habilidades distintas. Seis bailarines buscan las ilimitadas posibilidades del cuerpo humano y cuentan sus propias historias individuales explorando con sus cuerpos en pareja y en grupo. El cuerpo habla su propio lenguaje que en algunas ocasiones podemos controlar, en otras somos controlados por él, oliendo, tocando, escuchando... Lo que configura este trabajo como especial es que dos de los bailarines son físicamente minusválidos e integrados en la compañía y en la coreografía.

 





en
 Dignity at core of disability event
(Johannesburg - November 2007 - Joburg)

El Disability Festival se concentrará en los desafíos sociales y en el aislamiento al que se enfrentan muchas personas con minusvalías.
Los objetivos del Festival son promover la independencia, la dignidad y la integración en la comunidad.






ATW trabajó con el profesional del teatro y titiritero Stacey Rozen, que "Inspira" a que los niños desarrollen su expresión artística con las marionetas. "A través de marionetas los niños no diferencian entre cuerpos con o sin discapacidad entre los participantes por sentirse todos unidos como artistas y performans".

Gladys Agulhas creó varias choreografías especiales combinando las destrezas artísticas con las incapacidades físicas, mostrar la incapacidad es solamente un obstáculo mental para percibir la belleza del cuerpo y del movimiento.
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"All start with ones self, the body,

it speaks of who we are?

Where we are going

And how we move,

We are finding new attachment or want to detach ourselves from suffering,

while embracing others and creating changes"

Adam McKinney and Agulhas Theatre Works

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ARTS AND RECONCILIATION FESTIVAL AND CONFERENCE MARCH 2005

Physical Address with Louise Katerega
(mixing dance with video and featuring two professional disabled dancers)

Beyond Barrier of Dance Abilities

El primer objetivo de Agulhas Dance Theatre es demostrar que una incapacidad física no es una barrera en el mundo de la danza.

Día Internacional de la Danza 2008

WOMEN IN ARTS - NEWTOWN

PHANTOM LIMBS for Agulhas Theatre Works-ATW. Choreographed by Gladys Agulhas

(whatsonsa.co.za)

Venue: Museum Africa , Johannesburg

Date: 9 August at

A dance art work between women for women exploring the beauty of every

woman and her glittery toys and gadgets presented by Agulhas Theatre

Works-ATW. Choreographed by Gladys Agulhas, winner of the DAC Mosadi

wa Konokono Award 2007 (Woman of Substance) and featuring Gladys

Agulhas, Stacey Rosen (visual artist), Makhosto Sompane (dancer on wheels),

and Ntombizodwa String Quartet and pianist.

2008 International Dance Day Message

WOMEN in the arts are being celebrated through an extensive programme of entertainment and culture, coinciding with International Women's Day on 9 August.

Taking place in Newtown, the four-day Newtown celebrates Women's Day programme of dance, film, performing art, literature and live music runs from 6 to 10 August.

Programme

Gladys Faith Agulhas

International Day Dance 2008

Gladys Agulhas : dancing out her dreams

TRUE LOVE

Making your passion pay

The passion with which Gladys Agulhas embraced her "celebration of women in the face of war" dance piece, Safe Harbour, at the recent Dance Umbrella in Newtown, Johannesburg, confirmed that this sister is living and breathing the life she was born to lead. She was inspired to create the work after returning from the "Women's Voices Africa" conference in Senegal earlier this year.

Growing up in Johannesburg's Eldorado Park in the 1970s and '80s, Gladys was first exposed to dance at a young age. "I was about seven when these old white ladies used to come into the township and teach us ballet. I loved dancing from the moment I tried it."

By the time Gladys entered high school, dancing had become her abiding passion. After school she studied at the Johannesburg Art Foundation from 1988-89. "I later joined the (then) Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (Pact) Contemporary Dance Company and gained a lot of experience working there. I've been freelancing ever since I left the company in 1997."

After years of sweat, toil and running between gigs, Gladys is finally seeing her passion beginning to pay. "There have been times in my life when I've really struggled. These days I'm lucky enough to get some very well-paid jobs. Today I feel completely fulfilled."

Gladys, now a mother of two sons, believes deeply in the power of self-belief and self-motivation. "You have to believe in your work and what you do in order to grow, both as an artist and a human being. The dance world can be very fickle - people often say one thing and mean another. So it's vital to really believe in what you're doing."

Today, not only is Gladys regarded as one of SA's most exciting solo dancers, but her interests have branched off into more "holistic" work. Her company, Agulhas Works, incorporates working with disabled people. "There's a deaf and a crippled dancer in the company, as well as three able-bodied people.

I'm moving on from just being a performer. Now I want to work with things in a more embracing and sustaining way."

Gladys's advice on making your passion pay:

Believe in yourself.

Put your heart and soul into what you're doing.

Your body is your instrument - look after it well!!

2008 International Dance Day Message

"I just know that my experience of working with disabled people and seeing how much they can accomplish inspires me to make the world better."

Creating choreographed shows that portray the lives of disabled people will promote "inclusivity" and "independence".

Gladys Faith Agulhas

ITI/UNESCO

The Spirit of Dance has No colour, No selected shape or size
But Embraces the Power of Unity, Strength,
And Beauty found within us.
Each Dancing Soul, Young, Old, person living with a disABILITY
Creates and transforms ideas into life changing moving Art.
Dance is the mirror reflecting the impossible made possible.
For all to touch, hear, feel and experience.
Sounds from our hearts and Soul is our rhythm,
Our every move reveals the history of mankind.
It is the element where the Human Spirit can embrace the ultimate
Freedom.
Whenever our hands touch, something beautiful happens,
What the Soul remembers, the body portrays through movement.
Dance is therefore the healing force for all to access,
You are my eyes and I am your feet.
Celebrate INTERNATIONAL DANCE Day,
Use your Passion for Dance to heal each other,
Unify your dance community,
Most importantly be the Best that you can be in your Own Right,
We are able to stand unified through the Power and Spirit of Dance.

Gladys Faith Agulhas

Every year since 1982, the International Theatre Institute (ITI), in association with UNESCO and a Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, has presented International Dance Day on 29 April. On this occasion, a message from a well-known dance personality is disseminated worldwide as means of celebrating this art form and revel in its universality, bridging all political, ethnic and cultural barriers and bringing people together in peace and friendship with a common message.

This year, the International Dance Day Message will be delivered via video by Ms Gladys Faith Agulhas, a renowned South African modern dancer and choreographer. Ms Agulhas is closely involved in developing and teaching modern dance in her country, where she works with disadvantaged communities and develops the skills of disabled dancers.

Two South African modern dancers, one of whom is disabled, will dance for some 150 invited guests, and a short documentary film on Ms Agulhas’s work will also be shown. Another message will be delivered by Ms Ilona Copen, Executive Director of the New York International Ballet Competition and President of the International Dance Committee, ITI/UNESCO.

The event is organized by the International Dance Committee and the South African Permanent Delegation to UNESCO in co-operation with the International Theatre Institute (ITI).


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Dancing for independence

Although Agulhas says she teaches dance for the love of art and "to invent interesting new things", she adds that there is a political message behind the company.

Creating choreographed shows that portray the lives of disabled people will promote "inclusivity" and independence. "Society wants disabled people to beg," she says, flexing her muscular arms. "They [society] don't want disabled people to be independent; they want disabled people to rely on them."

Although people are sympathetic, they are not giving disabled people the tools they need to be independent, says Agulhas. "Through dance we can show that disabled people are capable of working. It's saying you [the disabled person] can do it."

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Founder/Choreographer/Dance Practitioner and independent performer, nominee for the Daimler Chrysler Contemporary Choreography Award 2003. Gladys studied Ballet at a young age at Albertus Pop recreation centre in Eldorado Park south of Johannesburg. She continued her Dance training and teaching at the Johannesburg Dance Foundation where she completes her 3 year intensive course. Ex-senior dancer for the former Johannesburg Dance Theatre.

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People with disabilities and social exclusion

Johannesburg has a population of people with disability who face both physical
and social exclusion. These barriers of exclusion are evident in access to
education, employment and physical access to transport. Along with prejudice
against those with a disability in general, there are also negative attitudes
associated with such people. People with disability are often invisible to City
governments and most especially if they are poor.

Despite the large number of disabled people living in South Africa -- five million, and more than 80-million on the African continent -- few services and opportunities exist for them to participate equally in society. Many are unemployed and live off a monthly disability .

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She won her first FNB Vita AWARD in 1990 and was recipient of the Women's Day Award in Eldorado Park for the promotion of Arts in the community. Agulhas has a long history of involvement with Dance in Education, and is co-founder of the Kliptwon Arts Foundation a community arts project based in Eldorado Park, was involved in teaching at various institutions and companies in Gauteng.


Agulhas also played a mayor role in the facilitating of Outreach programmes for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre during they visit to schools and community centres in Johannesburg.

(The State Theatre Dance Company and the shaping of

contemporary dance in South Africa)

First Prize reception of the Department of Arts and
Culture “MOSADI WA KONOKONO”

(Woman of Substance)

National Award 2007.

Founder of AGULHAS THEATRE WORKS (ATW)




"Over past 7 years ATW has implemented strategic programmes changing the attitudes of persons with disabilities towards themselves from one of dependency to independency and the ability to recognize their rights, changing the publics stereotypes and perception of their abilities

and also the contributory role of persons with disability in our communities using the power of Dance".

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Agulhas's dancers all agree that one of the hardest parts of being
disabled is living amid taunts and unfair treatment. Dancing is just one
way of countering people's ignorant attitudes.

Sompane says she doesn't take what people say to heart. "If you say
something mean to me, you're just building me as a person and you don't
even know it."

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Agulhas Theatre Works participates in international arts festivals, collaborative projects, and charity performances. They are available to do pre- and after performance talks, and workshops on inclusive contemporary dance (working with people with different physical abilities). They offer skills transfer programmes to arts and culture teachers, community leader and others and is very pro active in awareness programmes. Their work is now expanding and is starting to make a difference both nationally and even internationally.

"Nothing but an echo of the past", présentée en février 1999 au Wits Theatre de Joannesburg.(FNB Vita Dance Umbrella)
-"Meetings on the Edge" présentée en solo au Wits Theatre de Joannesburg présenté (FNB Vita Dance Umbrella) le 30 mars 2001
-"Making Movement visible" présentée par 3 danseurs le 10 novembre 2001 au Dance Factory à Johannesburg
-"Strings" présentée au Dance Factory de Johannesburg en Février 2000
-"A card" présentée au S.A. Women's Festival le 11 septembre 2001 au Playhouse à Durban.

She teaches at various institutions and
companies. She was involved in Shuttle 99, Dance
Education Ex-change programme between the Nordic
countries and South Africa. .
Agulhas has studied Integrated Contemporary Dance
Teaching in London and Switzerland with renowned
teacher/Independent Artist Adam Benjamin (“Pretending to be Something, Now Coming from Nothing”, "Tshwaragano Dance Project"),
Agulhas has presented ‘Solo” works nationally and
internationally. She presented a paper in
collaboration with Remix Dance Project at the
Confluence Conference on Choreography with
Physical Challenged Dancers.
In 2002 she presented a “Referees Society Special
Training Programme” for the Golden Lions Rugby
Union Academy. Agulhas premiered an international
collaboration with artist Louise Katerega(UK) funded
by FNB Vita Dance Umbrella and Arts Council of
England during the FNB Vita Dance Umbrella 2003.
ATW performed at the opening of the 2003 disABILTY
Consultative Conference ACCESS-AWARENESS -ARTS
in JHB, and presented Integrated Workshops.
Agulhas is a proud member of World Dance Alliance
Europe and of WoVA (Women’s Voice Arts Africa) In
2004 - 2007 ATW travelled, performed and
conducted integrated workshops in Switzerland (SouthAfrica 10 years democracy celebrations) Holland , Denmark and Sweden.

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Dignity at core of disability event

(City of Johannesburg website and artzone.co.za
November 2007 - Joburg)

The Disability Festival will focus on the social challenges and isolation many disabled people face.

ATW will work with theatre practitioner and puppeteer Stacey Rozen, who "inspires" the children to develop artwork in the form of puppets. "Through puppets the children are not differentiated into able-bodied and disabled participants but are all united as artists and performers."

The Festival aims to promote

creativity, independence, dignity and community integration.

Annual International living independently dis-Ability Lifestyle Exhibition

2008

Välkomna att delta i

det internationella dansmötet
21–24 augusti 2008

Encounters:

The beauty of body and movement

Together with Adam McKinney (US) Gladys Agulhas created a new choreography for the Afrovibes festival (2007) in theatres in Amsterdam and The Hague. 'Encounters", with dancers from two SA dance companies: Agulhas Theatre Works and Vuyani Dance Theatre Company.

Giving another face to physical disabilities : (2007)

"Sometimes people just go: 'What is this?'
"It's a mindset, most people think it's not supposed to be here."
"It's an abstract from the whole piece which shows audiences another way to encounter dance with the physically disabled."
"The response was very positive and it's been so successful."
"It allows me to do so much more, break boundaries."
"Last year, on International Disability Day, we opened a show for people to see the possibilities and have a different audience come in."
"We want to show that the theatre isn't only for able bodies and see what more openings we can allow."
"At our workshops there's no discrimination, we go in with no preconceptions."
"We work and move together without looking at physical ability."
"You have to know you can create more beautiful movement, rhythm and speed with the capabilities of your natural body."
"I want to use my talent to make an impact on lives and make people see each other as people. We are all dancing beings with our heartbeats as the rhythm. Dance is a feeling, it's spiritual, it's all that which is living."
"We need to explore where disabled and contemporary dance fits in."
I just know that my experience of working with disabled people and seeing how much they can accomplish inspires me to make the world better."
In day-to-day life those of us who think we have healthy, perfect bodies constantly recoil from the disabled. Here, the choreography produces the opposite effect.


'Gifted dancers show disability is only a mental obstacle'.(Sunday World)
'Agulhas is aware that crafting skills is part of making dance works. She succesfully uses form and content in a holistic way to underpin her work, a subtle visually textured dance…' (Mail & Guardian)
'..a unique artistic dance piece that incorporates artistic skills with physical disabilities' (Cue - Grahamstown Festival)

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Agulhas, a powerful, radiant, presence on the stage, has been working with dancers of varied abilities and disabilities, professional and amateur, for many years. She says dance itself is therapy, a kind of leveller, a way of seeking perfection through the many imperfections we all share, whatever our physical condition. In performance, as in this latest production, it is also a dramatic way of illustrating the many daily encounters we have, how we react to them, and how differently we could relate to them if we were prepared to open ourselves to the idea of a common humanity.

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Gladys Agulhas is seen as one of the best South African dance has to offer, demonstrating that women are making a major stand as choreographers and assertive creative dancers in South Africa. Encounters is an expressive sparkling dance work that expresses the beauty of being different and the need to built a society that is really equal. Encounters explores the various emotional and physical life journeys of people with different physical abilities. Six dancers search for the unlimited possibilities of the human body and tell in various explorative duets and group journeys their own individual stories with their bodies. The body which speaks its own language, which we sometimes can control, sometimes are being controlled by it, which feels, smells, touches, listens. What makes this dance work special is two of the dancers are physically disabled and integrated in the company and choreoraphy.

Gladys Agulhas made a number of special choreographies incorporating artistic skills with physical disabilities, showing disability is only a mental obstacle to perceive the beauty of body and movement.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"All start with ones self, the body,
it speaks of who we are?
Where we are going
And how we move,
We are finding new attachment or want to detach ourselves from suffering,
while embracing others and creating changes"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dia Internacional de la Danza 2008

Adam McKinney and Agulhas Theatre Works

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARTS AND RECONCILIATION FESTIVAL AND CONFERENCE MARCH 2005

Physical Address with Louise Katerega
(mixing dance with video and featuring two professional disabled dancers)

Beyond Barrier of Dance Abilities

The primary focus of
Agulhas Theatre Works is to demonstrate that a physical disability
is not a barrier in the dance world.