Vuyani Dance Theatre is celebrating Women’s Month by hosting a public dance workshop with emerging female choreographers on Sunday, August 9. Lulu Mlangeni (senior dancer at Vuyani) and Thoko Sidiya (formerly with Moving into Dance Mophatong) will be imparting their skills and knowledge during this lively, interactive workshop. It is open to all, and will be held at the Vuyani Dance Theatre studios, located at the Dance Space in Newtown, from 8.45 am to 10.30 am.“This is a golden opportunity to soak up the tricks of the trade from these two dynamic dancers, mentors and choreographers, who are changing the landscape of South Africa’s choreographic language while creating a space for female artists to take leadership in the sector,” says Vuyani Dance Theatre (VDT) executive director Gregory Maqoma.

Both Mlangeni and Sidiya took part in She: Khulisa, a recent Sweden-South Africa cultural exchange project aimed at nurturing the next generation of dancers and choreographers in both countries.

This one-off dance workshop with two of South Africa’s most gifted young female choreographers is part of an attractive package deal, which sees VDT partnering with Moving Into Dance Mophatong (MIDM) and the Market Theatre to offer audiences an unforgettable way to commemorate Women’s Month.

After the workshop, participants will be welcomed with champagne at the University of Johannesburg’s Arts Centre (in Auckland Park) for a special Women’s Day performance of Sylvia “Magogo” Glasser and Lebo Mashile’s Threads. Newly refreshed and reworked, this much-garlanded piece integrates Mashile’s evocative poetry with music and movement by the MIDM dancers.

To crown this alluring “triple-threat” package deal, participants will have the opportunity to bask in all the glitz, glamour and excitement at the opening night of Luyanda Sidiya’s Siva (Seven) at the Market Theatre on Thursday, August 13 at 8 pm or take an option of other performance days.

Sidiya, the artistic director at VDT, is this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist for dance and this work recently premiered at the National Arts Festival to glowing reviews. Siva is on at the Market Theatre complex’s John Kani theatre from August 12 to 16.

This is the perfect package for Johannesburg arts lovers eager to immerse themselves in exhilarating top-flight local dance while toasting women power, Mzansi style!

For just R250, participants can take part in the dance workshop and attend the performances of Threads and Siva. For more details and to book your place, e-mail info@vuyani.co.za or call 011 838 7666. You can also visit http://www.vuyani.co.za or follow @VuyaniDanceCo on Twitter.