On Friday 18 July, The Centre for the Less Good Idea presents The Open Moment | Thinking in Mafube.
Thinking in Mafube is a public showing of a new work-in-progress by internationally renowned choreographer, performer and teacher, Vincent Sekwati Koko Mantsoe, incubated during a five-day workshop at The Centre.
This is Mantsoe’s first collaboration with The Centre, and sees him developing the work with five young Johannesburg-based dancers – Smangaliso Ngwenya, Musa Mpongo, Thandiwe Mqokeli, Phumlani Mndebele and Thulisile Binda – and the percussionist, Micca Manganye.
Equal parts ritualistic and physical, Thinking in Mafube is an exploration of, among other things, the Moropa drum as a sacred and foundational sound that heralds the arrival of a new dawn.
In Mantsoe’s words: “Dawn/Mafube represents a powerful force, a time when nocturnal spirits celebrate the past and future, drawing inspiration from the cosmos and embodying a profound connection to the universe and nature.”
This incubation is made possible through a collaboration with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS).
DATE | FRIDAY 18 JULY 2025
TIME | 19H00
VENUE | THE CENTRE SPACE, THE CENTRE FOR THE LESS GOOD IDEA, ARTS ON MAIN, 264 FOX STREET, MABONENG
DURATION | 60-90 MINUTES
TICKETS | R150
BOOKINGS | www.lessgoodidea.com/bookings
More info:
A descendant of a long line of Sangomas, Vincent Sekwati Koko Mantsoe participated, from childhood, in traditional song and dance rituals. In 1990, he won a scholarship to Moving Into Dance in Johannesburg and later developed his own ‘Afro-fusion’ method of performance and choreography, drawing on African and Western dance forms and Asian martial arts.
Between 1997 and 2001, he was associate artistic director of Moving into Dance, after which he formed his own company. As a dancer, Mantsoe has mostly performed solo, the power of his work deriving not only from his profound absorption of other dance styles but also the spirituality of his creative process, which he describes as ‘borrowing’ from his ancestors.
His solo works include Gula (mus. Gabrielle Roth, 1992), Mpheyane (mus. James Wood and Randy Crafton, 1997), Traduction Simultanée (1999, in collaboration with Michel Kelemenis and Takeshi Yazaki), Bupiro—Mukuti (mus. Kronos Quartet and traditional, 2002), and NDAA (mus. various, 2003). He has also created various works for other companies, including Sasanka (Dance Theatre of Harlem, 1997), Majara (Skanes Dance Theatre, Sweden, 2002) and Skin (ACE Company, UK, 2007). Mantsoe has taught and performed internationally and is the recipient of many award,s including first prize at Bagnolet 1996 and 1998, and Prix de Peuple, Montreal, 1999.
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