Cape Town-based Unmute Dance Theatre is taking South African inclusive dance to the international stage when it joins the prestigious WOMAD Cape Town 2026 programme this month.
The company will perform a dance piece, United 4 Humanity Peace Concert at Artscape Theatre on Saturday 19 September at 20:00, along with an exceptional line-up of South African and international artists.
The new collaborative choreographic work is inspired by the enduring legacy of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and forms part of this year’s WOMAD commemoration of Archbishop Tutu and his lifelong commitment to peace, equality, justice and human dignity.
For Unmute, the invitation represents more than an opportunity to perform at an iconic international festival. It is a significant moment for inclusive contemporary dance and for placing disabled artists and their creative voices firmly within the global cultural conversation.
The company will premiere a 12-minute choreographic work, directed and choreographed by Sasha Fourie, with performances by Director of Unmute Dance Theatre Nadine McKenzie, Andile Vellem and Fourie.
The work is being created in collaboration with Dyskinetic, a United Kingdom (UK) based disabled-led arts collective supported by the UK High Commission, whose original music, rooted in cutting-edge technology and creative expression that challenge ableism, amplify disabled voices and reimagine accessibility as a source of power will form the soundscape for the performance.
Rather than attempt to recreate or dramatise Tutu’s life Unmute’s work takes a more considered approach, exploring the ideas, values and moral questions that shaped his public legacy.
At its heart the choreography considers what it means to possess a moral compass as a nation, to stand firmly against inequality while retaining compassion and to become a symbol of freedom without losing sight of humanity.
“Archbishop Tutu’s legacy is not simply a story from our past,” said Mckenzie.
“It continues to ask us difficult questions about how we live with one another, how we respond to injustice and what it means to choose compassion.
“Through movement we are interested in exploring those questions rather than recreating a person. The work allows the audience to encounter these ideas through the bodies, experiences and perspectives of our performers.”
The collaboration with Dyskinectic adds another important dimension to the project.
Two inclusive artistic organisations, operating from South Africa and the UK, are bringing their respective creative practices together to create a work that demonstrates how disability, inclusion and artistic excellence can transcend borders.
For Unmute, a company that produces works that consistently challenge conventional perceptions of disability and who belongs on the stage, the collaboration reinforces the company’s belief that inclusive art is not a specialist category, but part of the cultural mainstream.
“Being invited onto a platform such as WOMAD gives us an opportunity to show audiences that artists with disabilities are not simply participants in the arts,” said Mckenzie.
“We are creators, choreographers, performers and storytellers with an important contribution to make.”
The performance will form part of a powerful evening celebrating Archbishop Tutu’s legacy of hope, reconciliation and unity, presented in partnership with the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation.
Unmute will share the stage with artists from South Africa and across the world, including international performers from the UK, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Estonia, Austria and New Zealand.
For Cape Town, the presence of Unmute within the WOMAD programme also highlights the city’s growing role as a meeting point for international cultural exchange.
The festival creates a platform where local artistic voices can engage directly with global creative practices, while audiences are given an opportunity to experience South African stories through diverse artistic forms.
Unmute’s participation is particularly significant in a year in which WOMAD places heritage, humanity, cultural exchange and inclusion at the centre of its programme.
The company hopes that the collaboration will extend beyond a single performance, opening further opportunities for international partnerships, touring and creative exchange between inclusive artists and organisations.
For information, check the Thrive website on www.unmutedancetheatre.co.za or email info@unmutedancetheatre.co.za
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