Echoes of What Was
dance
Choregoraphed by Abdul Isaacs (UCT), Yaseen Manuel and Nafeesah Floris (UCT)
The Young Professionals series provides a platform for graduating students to share their graduating work with the wider public, whilst allowing the work to introduce them to the industry. For many, graduating work is the culmination of years of study and as such should be given the space and time to develop and grow into work that enables young professionals to begin working as artists and earning a living.
For the first time The Young Professionals, now in its third year, is being presented as a series throughout the year creating opportunity for graduating students from different universities to work with each other.
Echoes of What Was brings together UCT graduates Abdul Isaacs and Nafeesah Floris with professional dancer Yaseen Manuel in a triple bill of dance that explores Palestine and Palestinian resilience.
DIS-PLACE-ME-NOT
Dis-Place-Me-Not explores the struggles of a Palestinian family, embodying their collective memory of loss, displacement, and resilience. At its core, the piece challenges the dehumanizing narrative that labels Palestinians as “terrorists,” instead revealing the deep humanity, grief, and unbreakable spirit of those who have endured unimaginable hardship. We see the world through the eyes of Ahmad who died as a martyr. At the heart of the piece is the mother, whose dance serves as a powerful symbol of both personal and national grief. She is the embodiment of the Motherland, a figure who cradles not only her martyred son but also the land of Palestine itself. The piece evokes memories of the family's past. The setting transitions between spaces, symbolizing the displacement experienced by Palestinians. The dance highlights the struggle of the Palestinian people to hold onto their loved ones and the dream of a free homeland.
Performed by Zweli MGULI, Khulekani KHESWA, Tyla KLEYN, Kayla DANIELS, Canoliah HOOFD, Bongiwe MKHUMBENI, Monique DAWSON, Breyton BRIDGENS, Anathi NTSHIKILA
Abdul Isaacs
Abdul Isaacs is a multifaceted dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Cape Town, South Africa. He began formal training at Dance For All(SA) followed by auditioning for the Jazzart Dance Theatre’s training programme. Placed third in the Kaapse Dans Solo competition (2019). Performances at the Baxter Dance Festival and with companies like Jazzart Dance Theatre and Baba Yaya. Choreographic works featured in seasons like "Uhambo" by Dance For All (SA) and was production manager for "Oorleef"(2024). Abdul successfully completed his choreographic studies at UCT. Abdul is currently performing in the Nutcracker with Cape Town City Ballet.
MADHA KAN
Madha kan (What was) choreographed, directed and performed by Yaseen Manuel, explores the impact of the war on Palestine. Yaseen Manual presents Madha Kan which is a deeply personal journey that interrogates the current events unfolding in Palestine; capturing not only the harsh realities but also the deep compassion and kindness of its citizens.
In this touching story, Yaseen takes a close look at the effects of war on the people of Palestine. He brings to light the struggles, pain, hunger, thirst, and loss experienced by innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
The work remind us that the hearts of those affected by this brutal conflict are pure and deserving of our attention, compassion and urgent action.
Yaseen Manuel
Yaseen is a creative who values consistency and has a strong visual and artistic approach. He has drawn from his experiences as a dance trainee, teacher, director, and choreographer to become a well-rounded artist. Yaseen has worked with influential artists both nationally and internationally, taking advantage of each opportunity to learn, workshop ideas, and share knowledge. He is passionate about universal dance exchanges, integrating dance, and collaborating with others. Through his experiences, he has gained a broad understanding of the arts.
Along with Yaseens dancing and choreographing, he is also a mentor and teacher of youth, working in both training and outreach programs. He's passionate about cultivating a love for dance and the arts in South Africa's young people, believing that they are the future of the industry. Yaseen sees the youth as a "boiling pot" of creativity, and believes that with the right guidance, they can achieve great things and create a bright future for themselves and their communities.
In Yaseen's younger years, he did not receive much dance practice as he was occupied with religion and religious studies. However, after 10 years of dancing, he felt that something was missing and decided to incorporate his religious background into his personal works. This integration has had a positive spiritual outcome for him.
ECHOES OF RESILIENCE
A surreal dance experience that transports the audience into the depths of the creators dreams, where resilient women from Palestine, Sudan, Congo and Afghanistan invade her subconscious. Their struggles echo through her, weaving a tapestry of strength and resilience. This haunting yet empowering encounter awakens the artist to her newfound purpose: to amplify the stories of the oppressed.
Performed by Kayla DANIELS, Canoliah HOOFD, Bongiwe MKHUMBENI, Nafeesah FLORIS and Cassidy FLATWELL
Nafeesah Floris
Nafeesah Floris , a south African born , cape town based movement and visual artist. Her dance performance journey started at the age of 3, since then she developed a movement language that blends classical with contemporary. She has successfully completed her choreographic studies at UCT. She is an emerging performance maker devoted to crafting impactful dance works. She mainly explores themes that confronts social injustices with hope to continuously amplify marginalized voices. Nafeesahs most recent work: echoes of resilience, is a developing series of dance pieces, that first took the stage in August ' 24. This work deeply explores the emotional, psychological and physical effects war has on women.