South African dancer-choreographer Nhlanhla Vincent is a leading Bharatnatyam
exponent and a devout Shiva worshipper, writes Madhusree Chatterjee

THE end of apartheid in South Africa freed dancer-choreographer Nhlanhla Vincent Zwane from his creative isolation. Today, he is a leading Bharatnatyam exponent in his country and a devout Shiva worshipper at that.

"The arrival of democracy in South Africa after Nelson Mandela took over as President in 1994 opened the world for young dancers like me," says Zwane, a Zulu tribal in his early 30s.

The Afro-Fusion exponent, who made a name for himself with his free-style African street and contemporary Western dance in the 1980s, decided to learn the classical Indian dance form of Bharatnatyam in 2003.

Seven years on, the Shaivaite dancer, attired in a regal blue drape with a golden snake coiled around his bronzed neck and coiffured head, is one of the most sought-after practitioners of Bharatnatyam that is gaining popularity in South Africa.

But Zwane has not forgotten his "painful past".

The unofficial ban imposed on coloured natives by their White oppressors denied them access to foreign cultures, says Zwane. The consequence was a cultural insulation that prevented the entry of world fusion genres.

"It was not easy to learn, what was not rightfully yours. In the apartheid era, a colour bar against eastern dances kept African dancers insulated from oriental dances. We were told to mingle with our own stock and practise the indigenous arts. It was a painful past," recalles young Zwane, shaking his riot of black braids.

Pretoria-born Zwane, a resident of Johannesburg, was in India recently to perform at the International Dance Festival presented by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

He observed that South Africa was slowly changing as a country.

"The country is opening up. Nelson Mandela has opened the door to globalisation, bringing people together. We are a rainbow nation now — with multi-cultural sensibilities," the dancer adds.

Dance unites people, says Zwane. "After we switched to a democratic political system, the eyes of the cultural fraternity began to open. We identified which doors to knock on and from where to seek help," he adds. And Zwane knew "where to go".

He joined the Tribhangi Dance Theatre in South Africa, directed by Jayesperi Moopen. Moopen, a fifth-generation Indian expatriate, combines African rhythm and movements with their
Indian equivalents to create a unique fusion.

The company’s motto is to take Indian dances to the farthest corner of South Africa and script new cross-cultural idioms.

"Tribhangi whet my thirst to master the dance form that intrigued me on television. I liked the way Bharatnatyam dancers moved their heads and eyes," he says.

When he was in high school, Zwane realised that he wanted to dance for a living.

"I started dancing free-style for a few cents on the streets with a group of six boys while in school. In 2001, I enrolled at a community dance school to study Afro-Fusion dance and to train youngsters," he adds.

Zwane’s recitals are rooted in Indian mysticism.

His solo Bharatnatyam choreographies usually begin with the Shiva dance, an act dedicated to "the lord of universe and energy". It is followed by "a minute of African dance" before moving to the "tilanna" — an advanced and more vigorous act.

The recital culminates in a five-minute contemporary Afro-Fusion dance act, which is an invocation and appeasement of Zwane’s ancestors.

"It is an African tribal rite. We believe the spirits of our ancestors guide us and lead us where we want to go," the tribal dancer claims. — IANS

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