Author: AOOM

Books written by Pumla Dineo Gqola:

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2022) Female Fear Factory: Gender and Patriarchy Under Racial Capitalism. Nigeria: Cassava Republic Press. ISBN 1913175154, 9781913175153.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2021) Miriam Tlali: Writing Freedom (Voices of Liberation). HSRC Press. ISBN: 978-0796925626.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2017) Reflecting Rogue – Inside The Mind Of A Feminist. South Africa: Jacana Media. ISBN: 978-1-920601-87-4.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2015) Rape: A South African Nightmare. Johannesburg: MF Books.
ISBN 192060152X, 9781920601522.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2013) A renegade called Simphiwe. South Africa: Jacana Media. ISBN: 978-1-920601-08-9.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2010) What Is Slavery To Me? – Postcolonial/Slave Memory In Post-Apartheid South Africa. South Africa: Wits University Press. ISBN: 978-1-86814-507-2.

Book chapters by Pumla Dineo Gqola

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2023) Travel Disruptions: Irritability and Canonisation. In Reading from the South: African print cultures and oceanic turns in Isabel Hofmeyr’s work. Charne Lavery & Sarah Nuttall (Eds). Johannesburg: Wits University Press. Pp. 199-208.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2021) Chapter 3 – A Playful But Also Very Serious Love Letter to Gabrielle Goliath. In Surfacing: On Being Black and Feminist in South Africa. Desiree Lewis and Gabeba Baderoon (Eds). Johannesburg: Wits University Press. Pp. 49-55.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2018) A peculiar place for a feminist? The New South African woman, True Love magazine and Lebo(gang) Mashile. In Contemporary African Mediations of Affect and Access. Helene Strauss, Sarah Olutola & Jessie Forsyth (Eds). Pp. 13-30.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2011) Through Zanele Muholi’s eyes: re/imagining ways of seeing Black lesbians. In African Sexualities: A Reader. Sylvia Tamale (Ed). Cape Town: Pambazuka Press. Pp. 622- 629.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2011) Unconquered and insubordinate: Embracing black feminist intellectual activist legacies. In Becoming worthy ancestors: Archive public deliberation and identity in South Africa. Xolela Mangcu (Ed). Johannesburg: Wits University Press. Pp. 67-88.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2009) Blackwomen’s Bodies as Battlegrounds in Black Consciousness Literature: Wayward Sex and (Interracial) Rape as Tropes in Staffrider, 1978-1982. In Imagining, Writing, (Re)Reading the Black Body. Sandra Jackson, Fassil Demissie, & Michele Goodwin (Eds). UNISA Press. Pp.97-113.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2010) Negotiating Gender and Access to Knowledge Technology in the Urban Context. In Urban Diversity: Space, Culture, and Inclusive Pluralism in Cities Worldwide. Caroline Wanjiku Kihato, Mejgan Massoumi, Blair A Ruble, Pep Subiros, & Alison M Garland (Eds). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Pp. 123-144.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2008) Brutal Inheritances: Echoes, Negrophobia and Masculinist Violence. In Go Home or Die Here: Violence, Xenophobia and the Reinvention of Difference in South Africa. S. Hassim, T. Kupe, & E. Worby (Eds.). Wits University Press. https://doi.org/10.18772/22008114877.18. Pp. 209-223.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2007) CHAPTER 2: ‘Like three tongues in one mouth’: Tracing the elusive lives of slave women in (slavocratic) South Africa. In Basus’iimbokodo, bawel’imilambo/ They remove boulders and cross rivers: Women in South African History. Nomboniso Gasa (Ed). Cape Town: HSRC Press. Pp. 21-41.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2007) A woman cannot marry a boy: Rescue, spectacle and transitional Xhosa masculinities. From boys to men: social constructions of masculinity in contemporary society. T Shefer, K Ratele, A Strebel, N Shabalala & R Buikema (Eds). Cape Town: UCT Press. 145-159.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2005) A Question of Semantics? On Not Calling People Endangered. In Perspectives on Endangerment. Graham Huggan & Stephan Klasen (Eds).

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2004) Language and power, languages of power: A black woman’s journey through three South African universities. In Hear our Voices: Race, Gender and the Status of Black South African Women in the Academy. Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela and Zine Magubane (Eds). Pretoria: University of South Africa Press. Pp. 25-40.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2004) Forced to think: Innovation and womanist traditions in Sindiwe Magona’s wor(l)ds. In Sindiwe Magona: The First Decade. Siphokazi Koyana (Ed). University of KwaZulu-Natal Press. Pp.51-66.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2001) ‘Slaves don’t have opinions’: Inscriptions of Slave Bodies and the Denial of Agency in Rayda Jacobs’ The Slave Book. In Coloured by history, shaped by place: new perspectives on Coloured identities in Cape Town. Zimitri Erasmus (Ed). Cape Town: Kwela Books.

Journal articles by Pumla Dineo Gqola

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2023). 26 Religious Mapping, Epistemic Risk and Archival Adventure in Athambile Masola’s Ilifa Pumla Dineo Gqola i SHORT BIO ABSTRACT. African Journal of Gender and Religion. 29(1): 26-50. DOI: 10.36615/ajgr.v29i1.2320.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2021) Mona Eltahawy’s cartographies of feminist fury. Imbiza: Journal for African Writing. 2.1(1): 114-117.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2016) A peculiar place for a feminist? The New South African woman, True Love magazine and Lebo(gang) Mashile. Safundi. 17(2): 119-136. DOI:10.1080/17533171.2016.1178470
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2016) Intimate foreigners or violent neighbours? Thinking masculinity and post-apartheid xenophobic violence through film. Agenda. 30(2): 64-74. 10.1080/10130950.2016.1215625.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2011) Whirling worlds? Women’s poetry, feminist imagination and contemporary South African publics. Scrutiny2. 16(2): 5-11. DOI: 10.1080/18125441.2011.631823
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2010) Defining people: Analysing power, language and representation in metaphors of the New South Africa. Transformation. 47: 94-106.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2009) “The difficult task of normalizing freedom”: spectacular masculinities, Ndebele’s literary/cultural commentary and post-apartheid life. English in Africa. 36(1): 61-76.
PDF available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2007) How the ‘cult of femininity’ and violent masculinities support endemic gender based violence in contemporary South Africa. African Identities. 5(1): 111-124. DOI: 10.1080/14725840701253894.
PDF available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2007) Making ICTs do feminist work: the example of Women’sNet and LinuxChix Africa in Johannesburg. CCCB. “Challenges of urban diversity: Inclusive cities vs divided cities”. University of the Witwatersrand, 12-13 March 2007. Pp 17.
PDF available here

Salo, Elaine & Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2006) Editorial: Subaltern sexualities. Feminist Africa. 6: 1-6.
PDF available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2006) In defence and embrace of ourselves: black women intellectual activists, self-love and technological interventions. Foundation for the Empowerment of Women’s (FEW) black lesbian and bisexual conference. Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, 5-8 August 2006. Pp 9.
PDF available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2006) Bridging the divide between development goals, research and policy in developing countries. 1st International African conference on Gender, Transport and Development. Boardwalk Casino, Port Elizabeth, 2006.

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2005) Yindaba kaban’ u’ba ndilahl’ umlenze? Sexuality and Body Image. Agenda. 19(63): 3-9. DOI: 10.1080/10130950.2005.9674559.
PDF available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2005) Memory, diaspora and spiced bodies in motion: Berni Searle’s art. African Identities. 3(2): 123-138. DOI 10.1080/14725840500235365.
Available here

Goniwe, Thembinkosi doctorate & Gqola, Pumla Dineo graduate (2005) A neglected heritage: the aesthetics of complex Black masculinities. Agenda. 19(63): 80-94.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2001) Defining people: Analysing power, language and representation in metaphors of the New South Africa. Transformation. 47.
PDF available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2001) Contradictory Locations: Blackwomen and the Discourse of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) in South Africa. Meridians. 2(1): 130-152.
PDF available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2001) “Where there is no novelty, there can be no curiosity”: Reading Imoinda’s Body in Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko or, the Royal Slave. English in Africa. 28(1): 105- 117.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2001) In search of female s/staffriders: Authority, gender and audience, 1978-1982. Current Writing: Text and Reception in Southern Africa. 13(2): 31-41.
Available here

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (2001) Ufanele uqavile: Blackwomen, feminisms and postcoloniality in Africa. Agenda: Empowering women for gender equity. 16(50): 11-22.
Available here

Yates, Kimberly; Gqola, Pumla Dineo & Ramphele, Mamphela (1998) This little bit of madness: Mamphela Ramphele on being black and transgressive. Agenda. 14(37): 90-95. DOI: 10.1080/10130950.1998.9675699.
Available here

Theses by Pumla Dineo Gqola

Gqola, Pumla Dineo (1999) Black woman, you are on your own: Images of black women in Staffrider short stories, 1978-1982. Masters thesis. University of Cape Town.
Available here

Publications and Conference Papers by Yvette Abrahams

2021

Abrahams, Y (2021) Bringing Water to Krotoa’s Gardens: Decolonisation as Direct Action. In D. Lewis & G. Baderoon (Eds.), Surfacing: On Being Black and Feminist in South Africa. Wits University Press. Pp. 274-283.
Available here and here

2018

Abrahams, Yvette (2018) How Must I Explain to the Dolphins?: An Intersectional Approach to Theorizing the Epistemology of Climate Uncertainty. Environmental Ethics. 40(4): 389-404. DOI:10.5840/enviroethics201840436
Available here

2016

Abrahams, Yvette (2016) “Thank you For Making Me Strong”: Sexuality, Gender and Environmental Spirituality Journal of Theology For Southern Africa June 2016 Special Issue: Sexuality in Africa. 155: 70-87.

2014

Abrahams, Yvette (2014) Knowledge For Power: Rethinking Climate Change, Energy And Gender In South Africa In Women and Climate Change Gender CC – Women For Climate Justice e.v.; pps. 38-42. 6.
Available here

Abrahams, Yvette (2014) Moving Forward To Go Back: Doing Black Feminism In The Time Of Climate Change Agenda: Special Issue on Gender and Climate Change No. 101/28.3, pps. 45-53.
Available here

Abrahams, Yvette With Liz MicDaid: Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme: Review 2014 Electricity Governance Initiative SA, Cape Town. 
Available here

Abrahams, Yvette (2014) Half Of Nothing Is Still Nothing: Women And Climate Jobs For The One Million Climate Jobs Campaign, Alternative Information and Development Centre, Cape Town. 
Available here

2012

Abrahams, Yvette (2012) True Beauty. Agenda. 26(4).
Available here

Abrahams, Yvette (2012) with Martin, Brenda (ed.) Smart Electricity Planning: FastTracking Our Transition to A Healthy, Modern Affordable Electricity Supply For All EGI SA, Cape Town. 
Available here

2011

Abrahams, Yvette & Mhlongo, Sibongile & Napo, Vernet (2011) A gendered analysis of water and sanitation services policies and programmes in South Africa: 2006 – 2010. Agenda: Empowering women for gender equity. 25(2): 71-79. DOI:10.1080/10130950.2011.575998
Available here

Abrahams, Y., Omsis, K (2011) “My Tongue Softens On That Other Name”: Poetry, People, and Plants in Sarah Bartmann’s Natural World. In: Gordon-Chipembere, N. (eds) Representation and Black Womanhood. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. DOI:10.1057/9780230339262_3. Pp. 31-46.
Available here

2010

Annecke, Wendy & Abrahams, Yvette & Mohlakoana, Nthabiseng (2010) Left out in the cold while the planet heats up: How can feminists contribute to climate change and energy debates and policy in South Africa today?. Agenda. 24. 36-45.
Available here

Abrahams, Yvette (2008) “STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PRICE OF BREAD! START A BAKERY!”: COLONIAL PATRIARCHY AS THE CAUSE OF CURRENT HIGH FOOD PRICES. Paper prepared for GETNET: Feminist Consultative Conference on Women and Socially Excluded Groups Bearing the Social Costs of The Economic and Social Crisis. Athlone, 30/31 October, 2008.
Available here

2009

Abrahams, Yvette (2009) Plaiting Three Strands: Gender-Based Violence as a Cause of Global Warming. Paper prepared for DAC/HSRC Colloquium on Social Cohesion, 2009. Durban, 29-30 October, 2009.
Available here

2007

Abrahams, Yvette (2007) “Ambiguity Is My Middle Name: A Research Diary” in Gasa, Nomboniso (ed.) “Besus’ imbokodo; Bawel’imilambo: South African Women in History HSRC Press, Pretoria, pp. 421- 453. 

Abrahams, Yvette (2007) The Khoekhoe Free Economy: A Model For The Gift In Vaughan, Genevieve (ed.) Women And The Gift Economy: A Radically Different Worldview Is Possible: pps. 217-221. 

2005

Abrahams, Yvette (2005) Gender and Locating Sarah Bartmann in the Present. In Democracy X: Marking the Present, Re-presenting the Past. Series: Imagined South Africa, Volume: 7. Andries Oliphant, Peter Delius & Lalou Meltzer (eds). Pp. 150-161.
Available here

History Of The Western Cape Network On Violence Against Women, WCNVAW, Athlone. 

Abrahams, Yvette (2005) ‘Ambiguity is My Middle Name’: Teaching Sarah Bartmann in a Historical Context, in Mabokela, Reitumetse and Zine Magubane (eds.) Hear Our Voices: Race, Gender and the Status of Black South African Women in the Academy UNISA Press, Pretoria and Koninglijke Brill, Leiden.

2004

Abrahams, Yvette (2004) The Life And Times Of Sarah Bartmann: Locating this Biography in the Present in Oliphant, Andries (ed.) Democracy X, Iziko Museums, Cape Town. 

Abrahams, Yvette (2004) The Life And Times of Sarah Bartmann: An Educators’ Guide IHR, Bellville The Life And Times of Sarah Bartmann: A Learner’s Handbook Educator’s News, Vol. 8, No. 4; special insert own pagination (1-4). 8 

2003

Abrahams, Yvette (2003) Colonialism, dysfunction and disjuncture: Sarah Bartmann’s resistance (remix). Agenda: Empowering women for gender equity. 58: 12-26.
Available here

2002

Abrahams, Yvette (2002) Colonialism, Dysfunction and Dysjuncture: Sarah Bartmann’s Resistance (Remix) in Agenda: African Feminisms Three, 17, No. 58; pps. 12-26. 

2001

Abrahams, Yvette (2001) Learning by doing. Notes towards the practice of womanist principles in the ‘new’ South Africa. Agenda. 50: 71-76.
Available here

Abrahams, Yvette (2001) We’re Here Because We’re Here – Speaking African Womanism in Duncan, Norman and Pumla Gqola et al (eds.) Discourses on Difference, Discourse on Oppression Centre For Advanced Southern African Studies Cape Town; pps. 37-76. 

2000

Abrahams, Yvette (2000) WE’RE HERE BECAUSE WE’RE HERE… SPEAKING AFRICAN WOMANISM. Conference presentation for the Discourses on Difference and Oppression Conference. University of Venda, 19-22 July 2000.
Available here

1998

Abrahams, Yvette (1998) Two Master Narratives and Nowhere to Go: The Semantics of Colouredness in H Wittenberg, G Baderoon and Y Steenkamp (eds) Inter Action: Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Postgraduate Conference, Bellville: University of the Western Cape Press, 115-121. 

1997

Abrahams, Yvette (1997) The Great Long National Insult: ‘Science’, Sexuality and the Khoisan in the 18th and Early 19th Century. Agenda: Empowering women for gender equity. 13(32): 34-48.
Available here

Abrahams, Yvette (1997) Images of Sara Bartman: Sexuality, Race and Gender in Early Nineteenth Century Britain; in Pierson, R. Roach (ed) Empire, Colony, Nation: Critical Categories of Race and Gender Analysis Indiana University Press, Indiana; pps. 220-236.

1996

Abrahams, Yvette (1996) Disempowered to Consent: Sara Bartman and Khoisan Slavery in the Nineteenth-Century Cape Colony and Britain. South African Historical Journal. 35. 89-114.
Available here

Abrahams, Yvette (1996) Was Eva Raped ? An Exercise In Speculative History Kronos:Journal Of Cape History, No. 23; pps. 3-21. 

1995

Abrahams, Yvette (1995)`Take Me To Your Leaders’: A Critique Of Kraal and Castle Kronos: Journal Of Cape History, No. 22, pps. 21-35. 

1994

Abrahams, Yvette (1994) Resistance, pacification and consciousness : a discussion of the historiography of Khoisan resistance from 1972 to 1993 and Khoisan resistance from 1652 to 1853. MA thesis. University of Cape Town.
Available here

Selected reviews

Moncho-Maripane, Kgomotso (2020) Mamela Nyamza’s Pest control is a protest piece that is deeply personal. News24. June 29, 2020.
Available here

Msimanga, Nondumiso (2020). Pest Control is a refusal to be fenced in. The Critter. June 28, 2020.
Available here

Sassen, Robyn (2020) Don’t mess with Mamela. My View by Robyn Sassen and other writers. June 25, 2020.
Available here

Moncho-Maripane, Kgomotso (2017) Mamela Nyamza’s De-Apart-Hate At Dance Umbrella. Huffington Post. Feb 23, 2017.
Available here

Wren, Edward (2012) Mojisola Adebayo and Mamela Nyamza: I Stand Corrected. Total Theatre. Nov 24, 2012.
Available here

Selected interviews and features

Gambade, Emilie (2020) Mamela Nyamza: ‘I dance what I like’. Daily Maverick. 08 December 2020.
Available here

Business and Arts South Africa (2020) Q&A WITH MAMELA NYAMZA. 06 August 2020.
Available here

Bambalele, Patience (2020) ‘Arts industry needs cleansing,’ says Mamela Nyamza. Sowetan Live. 26 June 2020.
Available here

Cohen, Robyn (2020) INTERVIEW: MAMELA NYAMZA – PEST CONTROL- VNAF. The Cape Robyn. 22 June 2020.
Available here

Kamaldien, Yazeed (2018) Opening spaces for new dancers. Mail&Guardian. 29 June 2018.
Available here

Sosibo, Kwanele (2018) The movement maverick: Mamela Nyamza. Mail&Guardian. 2 March 2018.
Available here

Sarafina Magazine (2017) A CONVERSATION WITH MAMELA NYAMZA. 18 October 2017.
Available here

Selected exhibitions

2022

HATCHED | ROBYN DENNY & MAMELA NYAMZA, March 25- April 25, 2022. Berman Contemporary, Johannesburg.
View here

2017

Indigo Passage to Healing, Robyn Denny & Mamela Nyamza, Paris, November 10-12 2017.
View here

Selected featured journal articles

Cordova, Sarah Davies (2021) Decolonial Spectatorship and Performances of Contemporary Dance in South Africa: Mamela Nyamza’s Choreographies of Embodied Politics of Race and Gender in Place. E-rea [En ligne]. 19(1). DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/erea.13109
Available here

Demerson, Rainy (2021) Black Privilege in the Black Box: Mamela Nyamza’s Choreographic Resistance. Critical Stages. 23.
Available here

Mahali, Alude (2016) Rites of passage: separation, liminality and an initiation into being in Mamela Nyamza’s hatched. South African Theatre Journal. 29(1-3): 1-14.
Available here

Philip Rademeyer. (2012). Embracing dis-ease: imagining queer African performance. South African Theatre Journal. 26(3): 270-279.
Available here

Samuel, G (2011) Shampoo Dancing and Scars–(Dis)Embodiment in Afro-Contemporary Choreography in South Africa. Congress on Research in Dance Conference Proceedings. 2011: 40-47.
Available here

Selected book chapters and featured book chapters

Nyamza, Mamela (2020) “Why Water?” Book chapter contribution to Why Theatre? A project by NTGent.
Available here

Katrak, K.H (2020) Mamela Nyamza and Dada Masilo: South African Black Women Dancer-Choreographers Dancing “New Interculturalism”. In The Methuen Drama Handbook of Interculturalism and Performance. D.P. Lei & C. McIvor, Eds. Pp. 173–189. London: Methuen Drama.
Available here

Feltham, Kimberly (2018) Decolonising the Stage Reflecting on Mamela Nyamza in a Canadian-hosted South African performance festival. In African Theatre: Contemporary Dance. Yvette Hutchison and Chukwuma Okoye, Eds. Pp. 45-66. Boydell & Brewer. Available here

FORMALLY TRAINED AND QUALIFIED IN DANCE GENRE
In the midst of adversity, Nyamza boldly proceeded to graduate from the Tshwane University of Technology with a National Diploma in Ballet in 1994. After acquiring her Diploma in Ballet, Nyamza was awarded a working contract at the State Theatre, in Pretoria. It is during this tenure that Nyamza started to think of radically deconstructing the normative expectations of who qualifies to be a classical Ballerina. In this process, she duly won an audition in 1999 for a prestigious scholarship to study further at the Alvin Ailey International School for Dance in New York, Unites States of America.

CHARTING WAY IN VISIONARY CHOREOGRAPHY
The extra experience Nyamza got from the Alvin Ailey School of Dance, soon landed her lead dance roles in many high acclaimed International Musicals such as the Lion King, African Footprint, We Will Rock You. These quality stints as lead dancer, also exposed Nyamza to other forms of dance, such as pantsula and hip-hop dance, providing her with distinct expertise in contemporary dance. Nyamza’s distinction and vast experience in the genre of dance, promptly propelled to revive her initial quest to deconstruct all that is there to norm and expectations of the dance genre.

DANCING THEATRICS FOR JUSTICE IN THE ART
Vast accumulated experience in the field of dance became a solid foundation for Nyamza’s distinction in creation, choreography and directing extra-ordinary fresh innovative works. By 2007, Nyamza was already ahead of peers, and she was decisively awarded the Standard Bank National Young Artist for the Dance in 2011, due to her refreshingly innovative choreography and performance in the art of dance. Nyamza’s highly acclaimed “HATCHED”, created in 2008, was her first work to kick-start her art programme of unapologetically demystifying, deconstructing and trampling on the norms and standards of the dance/classics.

VISIONARY ARTIST
Nyamza’s immense contribution to dance-theatre and choreography, is now fast becoming legendary in the art of dance-theatre. Her various works since “HATCHED” (against patriarchy), including “THE MEAL” (against elitist ballet), “19-BORN 76-REBELS” (against youth discrimination and poverty), “LAST ATTITUDE” (against gender inequality in the dance), “I STAND CORRECTED” (against homophobia and hate crimes), “WENA MAMELA” (against gate keeping in the arts), “DE- APART-HATE” (against inhumanity and violence in society), and “PHUMA-LANGA” (against cultural domination), are all work-pieces that deal with important political and societal issues of today’s South Africa. Other major works of Nyamza include: “KUTHENI”, “ISIGQALA”, “SHIFT”, and “UMENDI”.

All these works have indeed propelled Nyamza to embody and manifest the words of the Philosopher Allen Kaprow who said: “The line between art and life should be kept as fluid, and perhaps indistinct, as possible”.

In many strokes of genius, Nyamza has put herself in for activism for equity in the arts. Her strong belief that artists have the power to change the world the better, prompted Nyamza to lead a four-women march against an exclusive elitist Theatre Awards Ceremony on 18th March 2017 in Cape Town.

Nyamza’s quest to address the current state of arts in South Africa, which is still exclusive, elitist and fretted with acute patronage, has led her to create a trilogy of works: DE-APART-HATE; PHUMA-LANGA; and ROCK-TO-THE-CORE. With these works, Nyamza has indeed mastered the art of visionary and raw freshness in the field of DANCE. All these three works brilliantly raise pertinent issues of race; tolerance; identity; gate-keeping; equality; and equity audience development in the arts environment. Nyamza’s newest work, BLACK PRIVILEGE, epitomises this trilogy in distinct and focused work of law and spirituality.

Nyamza’s ultimate goal is to propel DANCE into the ultimate theatric and genre of the performance art that conveys body politics on all social issues, and not to just entertain.

Indeed, Nyamza’s fierce critics allege that she is a “non-dancing conceptual” dancer. In her own words, Nyamza counters: “one cannot separate concept from creation and choreography – they all must go hand-in-hand to yield to a complete performing artist”.

NUMEROUS ACCOLADES AND HONOURS

The accolades that Nyamza has received over the years are indeed indicative that the Art Fraternity recognizes her immense contribution to the arts.

Nyamza has just successfully finished her three-year tenure as one of the Advisory Panelist in DANCE for the South African National Arts Council (NAC).

Apart from receiving numerous nominations for awards, such as being nominated for the 2016 and 2017 BroadwayWorld South African Awards for Best Choreography in DE-APART-HATE and ROCK-TO-THE-CORE, Nyamza received the following awards and achievements:

1. Featured Artist of the Grahamstown Standard Bank National Arts Festival 2018, a first of its kind for the Dance Art Genre. This accolade is definitely one of the highest honor that can be bestowed to any South African artist, for the immense contribution done in the art field of the dance-theatre.
2. Dance Umbrella Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer in Contemporary Style for “THE DYING SWAN” in 2000.
3. Standard Bank Young Artist for the DANCE in 2010
4. Standard Bank Ovation Award for “THE MEAL” in 2012
5. University of Cape Town Institute of Creative Arts Fellowship Award in 2012
6. 6. OPRAH WINFREY Women of the Year Award in 2013
7. IMBOKODO Award for DANCE in 2016
8. Identified by the DAILY REVIEW of Australia as one of the 30 International Artists to track in 2018, that are positively changing the world. “They are out there contributing toward peace, making work in conflict zones, growing understanding and awareness, facing misrepresentation, and organising for social change”: Shawn Lent, January 19, 2018 in http://www.dailyreview.com.au
9. The Marraines FIDO award at Burkina Faso Festival International de Danse de Ouagadougou in 2022.

Nyamza has also travelled extensively, continuously being invited to National and International Arts Festivals, such as the Dance Umbrella, Infecting the City, and Standard Bank Fringe Festivals in South Africa, and many other International Festivals including in Congo, Germany, Mali, Belgium, Senegal, Slovenia, Singapore, and Canada.

Nyamza’s work is currently being studied at various national and international universities, an indication that she is a versatile creator, choreographer and performing artist, who continues to provide relevance to both academia and the practice of arts.

Nyamza’s ultimate vision is to create and direct more work that would reach the most remote areas of South Africa to unearth young, raw talent in the art of Dance in particular and performance arts in general. Nyamza has already started with grass-roots work by providing mentorship workshop sessions.

Selected publications

1997
The Body Politic (portfolio of colour etchings published by Hard Ground Printers)

Selected press and reviews (for more please visit Natasha Becker’s Website)

2023

Olson, Kimberly (2023) Meet The Fine Art Museums Of San Francisco’s Curator Of African Art. Luxe 1 February 2023.
Available here

Artthrob (2023) In and Out of Time: An interview with curators Natasha Becker and Mariella Franzoni. Artthrob 9 January 2023.
Available here

Maritato, Martina (2023) The 10th anniversary of Investec Cape Town Art Fair – Dr. Mariella Franzoni and Natasha Becker. Lampoon 20 January 2023.
Available here

2022

Scott, Chadd (2022) The Africa We Ought To Know; U.S. Museums Reconsidering The Continent. Forbes 3 December 2022.
Available here

2021

Khan, Sharlene (2021) A Sense of Belonging—Natasha Becker’s Black Feminist Radical Love Curatorial Practice. On Curating. Issue 52. 184-196.
Available here and PDF available here

Valentine, Victoria (2021) Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Hire Curator of African Art, Natasha Becker is First to Serve in Newly Created Position. Culture Type 11 January 2021. Available here

2015

Jason, Stephanie (2015) Women artists talk back to race and gender in new show. Mail & Guardian 18 June 2015.
Available here