Contemporary dance meets choral music
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
Contemporary dance ensemble, Mophato Dance Theatre, is collaborating with leading acapella ensemble, KTM Choir, for a three-day showcase of fusion of dance and choral music.
Slated for Maitisong Theatre in Gaborone from 8 September to 10 instant, the two forces of the entertainment world will be re-telling Botswana’s development story through a musical titled “A Re Yeng Botswana.”
“The showcase forms part of KTM’s 30th anniversary celebrations,” the Chairperson of the KTM Choir Board, Lorato Morapedi, told Time Out. “We decided to partner with Mophato to ensure that revellers are spoilt for choice during this three-day period because COVID-19 resulted in a deficit of choral music.
“This is the first time we get to see contemporary dance and choral music brought together to tell the history and culture of Botswana.”
Early Independence celebration
KTM’s Technical Director, Moses Dube, sees the production as an early independence celebration because they aim to remind Batswana of their capabilities as a choir. The choral musical restarted their music journey after the pandemic’s disruptions by joining the National Arts Festival where they were crowned national champions.
Said Dube: “We are not a competition choir but one that teaches through storytelling. Joining the competition was done to prepare for the bigger picture where we will be celebrating 30 years and continuing teaching Batswana through music and dance.”
A glimpse of the production
Dube said the production will open with a depiction of a cattle post setup to demonstrate where Batswana came from as a nation that was heavily reliant on agriculture in an underdeveloped country. Fast-forward to a decade or so later and the country’s economy is blossoming, thanks to diamond mining. Many milestones follow with celebrations to match. Dube says revellers will get to see different dance styles in one song when milestones are celebrated.
The dancers
The founder of Mophato Dance Theatre, Andrew Kola, said the collaboration presented a good opportunity to package Botswana’s story. The music will be compiled and arranged by KTM while Kola will choreograph the dance moves.
“It’s a beautiful concept because already the music has been created,” Kola told Time Out. “We are ready to tell Botswana’s story through with our dance moves.”