Four disabled Cape Town dancers are set to participate in an international festival to celebrate diversity on an open stage for all bodies and identities in Nuremberg, Germany.
But before Unmute Dance Theatre jets off, they will be performing at the Artscape Theatre, in Cape Town, at Kingdom of Ubuntu – The Musical in concert, Friday, March 6, and The Meraki Dance Festival on Saturday, March 7, at 2pm.
Dancers Andile Vellum, from Langa, Nadine McKenzie, from Belhar, Sasha Fourie, from Athlone, and Emile Petersen, from Cape Town, are due to leave for Germany on Sunday, March 15.
These pioneers in South African-integrated dance bring together performers with and without disabilities.
Unmute co-founder, deaf dancer, and choreographer Mr Vellum said he was excited to return to Germany after many years.
"I'm a bit nervous and crossing fingers we go," he said.
Mr Vellum said he was inspired by his mother, who taught him ballroom dance when he was young.
When he went to school, he engaged in various genres, including pantsula, African dance, a little contemporary, and ballet.
In 2000, he attended an integrated dance workshop that included people with different disabilities, he said, which inspired him to share his ideas and skills and to teach deaf students from different communities.
He said teaching sign dance, working with people, and teaching them movement, using sign language, excites him. He recently started with choreography.
Mr Vellum would like to inspire youth to develop themselves and "open their eyes".
"To continue to make dance as accessible as possible. Every disabled person must have access to different places, in theatres and different art spaces. I want to spread awareness, how can a deaf person dance, how can a disabled person dance, but deaf people and disabled people can do these things," he said.
Mr Vellum said people should first focus on him as a person and not his disability.
"Anyone can do these things. Keep fighting to open more spaces," he said.
Unmute co-founder, artistic director, wheelchair user, and dancer Nadine McKenzie said they have established safe and inclusive spaces for artistic development and supported artists with disabilities to discover, strengthen, and amplify their creative voices on local and global stages.
She said they were invited to present one of their acclaimed legacy works, Timelapse.
"This production explores cycles of transformation, resilience, and renewal, reflecting on the human capacity to reimagine oneself," she said.
"Inclusive dance is not only about representation on stage, but it is also about shifting mindsets, creating professional pathways, and demonstrating that disability and artistic excellence exist side by side,” she said.
Ms McKenzie said as Unmute enters its next chapter, the company invites long-term investment, infrastructure support, and cross-sector collaboration that positions inclusive arts at the centre of Africa’s cultural evolution.
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