Contemporary dance explores what it is to be human
The award-winning dancer-choreographic duo Grant van Ster and Shaun Oelf, alongside their company Figure of 8 Dance Collective, is coming to the Drama Factory Theatre with their dance work titled Embody You, a choreographic display of the physical body’s role and function in what makes us human, explored through the use of contemporary dance.
A raw and thought-provoking work that zooms in on the notions of: Are we just our bodies? What is self? What makes us human?
Every day we experience the body differently, in some cases good and other bad. How we deal with these experiences raise interesting questions about who we are, why we are like that and is that truly us or just the body that the world created for us - questions that are essentially timeless.
Figure of 8 Dance Collective was founded in 2014 by Van Ster and Oelf. The physical language movement that they develop, combined with an astute theatrical understanding and evocative storytelling, have moved audiences deeply over the years.
The balance between addressing necessary and important issues, while entertaining and captivating an audience has always been a core component of any of FO8’s productions.
Van Ster has been responsible for the choreography of hit productions such as Marc Lottering’s Aunty Merle the Musical and Aunty Merle It’s a Girl, Alistair Izobel’s Remembering the Lux and Kaapse Jol, David Kramer’s Langarm the Musical, The Fugard Theatre’s Master Harold, and The Boys... as well as being the resident choreographer on West Side Story.
Van Ster was also resident choreographer of Aunty Merle, The Musical - Things get real' 2022/2023 as well as choreographer of 'Dance of the Lagumas' 2022.
The winner of the Western Cape Government Cultural affairs Awards - Innovation in Dance 2022 as well as the Vestaris International Awards Winner for Excellence.
Oelf performed as dancer Marthinus Basson’s MISA, Lara Foot’s multi award winning Fishers of Hope, Nadia Davids’ What Remains and Cape Town Opera’s Orphee et Eurydice Oelf co-writed on the award winning production, Karatara (as well as performer), directed by Gideon Lombard and the Fugard Theatre’s West Side Story, amongst many other productions.
He was also the choreographer on the musical Calling us Home and feature artist of The Black Embodiment's Studio University of Washington & UCT (2022). Most recently lead dancer of Aunty Merle, the musical 2022/2023 directed by Lara Foot.
Figure of 8 Dance Collective highlights includes the award-winning dance production WAG/Waiting, Infecting the City Public Arts Festival, Netwerk24 Kortom Short Film season, Afrovibes in the Netherlands, Cape Town Fringe Festival, Vrygrond Festival, KKNK and the acclaimed Karatara, US Woordfees and US Woordfees TV, KYKNET Fiesta and Fleur Du Cap Theatre Award Ceremonies.
They have also been part of the Baxter Theatre Centre and Scenkonst Sörmland, Sweden’s hugely successful collaborations of I Hit the Ground Running in 2013, Struck Silent in 2014 and Adagio For A Hacked Life in 2016. They have also been part of the Baxter’s annual Dance Festival and co- choreographers for David Kramer’s Danger in the Dark The Musical, with Van Ster also as Assistant Director.
The shows take place on Thursday May 4, Friday May 5 and Saturday May 6, at 7.30pm, and tickets cost between R130 and R150.
The venue is located at 10 Comprop Square, Henry Vos Close, Asla Business Park, Strand. Book online at www.thedramafactory.co.za, and for more information, call 073 215 2290.