‘Cabaret’ musical off ers a glimpse of Broadway

Cabaret dance performance is a fresh concept for the city’s entertainment scene

GOSEGO MOTSUMI

The mere mention of “cabaret” evoked a clear image of Liza Minnelli’s portrayal of nightclub performer Sally Bowles in the 1972 film adaptation of the 1966 Broadway musical, “Cabaret.” Decked in halter vests, short shorts, a derby and mesh stockings, the Luna Black dance group in collaboration with Rhythm Mates jazz band staged a fresh dance performance from the School of Live Performance at Awil College on Monday this week.

“I chose Cabaret as the musical theatre style because it is fun and I wanted to do internationally acclaimed work,” said producer and director of the performance,” Moratiwa Molema. “We do a lot of African content and young people crave to be part of the world.”

Offering their small audience a glimpse of a Broadway-inspired show, the troupe performed “Mein Herr” from a musical called Cabaret and “A Chorus Line” both directed by the legendary choreographer, Bob Fosse. The performers did not only create a cinema moment but served an extremely precise and restrained choreography which nonetheless managed to portray the dancers as sexy, sinister beings.

Cabaret is a style of performance that emerged from France in the 19th century but over time it has traveled across Europe and into the United States. Though it is now considered a type of performance, the word “cabaret” was originally, in earlier centuries, a reference to a kind of restaurant or bar that served alcohol with meals. Occasionally these establishments included a short performance during the meal, like music or magic.

“It was popular in Berlin during World War 2 and took place in shebeens. The shebeen was a place for political satire and other entertainment such as dance and music. It is during this time that jazz became more popular in Germany,” said Molema
The brief performance was an Intergrated Voice and Movement exam for Year Four students from the School of Live Performance.