Lebogang Disele
Lebogang Disele and Tumisang Baatshwana said they have been invited to attend the Performing the World (PTW) conference in New York, USA. This is the eighth edition of the conference and this year’s theme is, ‘How shall we become?’ PTW, which takes place in New York, USA from 10 – 12 October 2014, is an interdisciplinary and practical-critical conference that interrogates the role that performance can play in changing our world. Disele is scheduled to present a seminar/workshop titled, ‘Keneilwe: displaced by our search for identity?’
The presentation will feature a short excerpt from the dance production, KENEILWE: A Dance for the Given which is choreographed by Baatshwana, Artistic Director of Sky Blue Dance Hub, who will be attending as co-presenter. The performance explores unique Botswana stories about issues of displacement and was performed at the Maitisong Festival 2014, in Harare, Zimbabwe and Johannesburg, South Africa. This will be followed by a paper presentation and a question and answer session with attendants of the seminar/workshop.
The paper argues that we are becoming displaced by our search for an authentic identity, using KENEILWE: A Dance for the Given as a case study. Disele and Baatshwana are both professionals working in Botswana’s performing arts industry with a wealth of performance experience. Disele is a Lecturer in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Botswana as well as an avid performer. She is currently a dancer at Sky Blue Dance Hub and an actor on the radio drama, Madi Majwana: Stories from your Pocket. Disele is interested in work that explores issues of marginalisation, discrimination, prejudice and oppression, especially in relation to gender. Her last PTW presentation was titled, ‘Working with Mophato: Interrogating and Shifting Representations of Black Women in Botswana’, which explored ways in which performance can be used to bring about change and empowered thinking.
Baatshwana is a dancer and choreographer. She is the 2013 Bessie Head Literature Award second runner-up in the Short Story category and is interested in producing contemporary dance and written works that explore unique human stories, delving into the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of the individual. Artistic Director of Sky Blue Dance Hub, she is also a scriptwriter of the radio drama, Madi Majwana: Stories from your Pocket. “The performing arts industry in Botswana is still young and developing. Presenting at PTW creates an opportunity for young artists to showcase their work while telling Botswana stories,” says Disele. “Further, we believe it is beneficial to the growth of our industry to keep abreast of innovations in performance – academically and practically while showcasing Botswana’s potential and contribution to the sector.” With the country also looking to position itself as a centre for academic excellence, presenting at such a conference will showcase strong academics that play a role in achieving that recognition.
Disele and Baatshwana are scheduled to depart for New York, USA on 08 October 2014 and continue to request funding from stakeholders in the country. So far, they have raised half of the funds required. As the performing arts industry continues to grow in Botswana, it is imperative that young women who, without inhibitions, break boundaries and share their knowledge and talents with the world are supported and encouraged at all levels.
