Photo of Tony Banyatsi by Kevin Clifford.

 

"Soweto, late 80s. A young man struggles against the security forces, confronts tribal tensions and deals with the death of his own mother. He falls in love with a girl from the wrong neighbourhood and together they decide to run away from home and everything they have ever known..."

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A new twist on a 1000 year old fable, presenting high energy music and dance from South Africa, mixed with contemporary and urban culture from the UK and USA. In essence, Where Is Home? is the story of a migrant who flees from a war zone and makes good in the world. It is a reflection on ideas of home and diaspora, and embraces themes common to all cultures.

 

Choreography is by Michael Joseph, Dumisani Ngubane, Bafana Solomon Matea, Irven Lewis and State of Emergency's Artistic Director, Deborah Baddoo MBE. The score is by Steve Marshall and includes a collaboration with South African Grammy winner, Wouter Kellerman. Costumes are by Natacha Lacosse of Acossi Jeans New York.

 

The process of creation involved R&D sessions in Johannesburg, London and Los Angeles, and a residencies at Dartington Arts Trust and Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in LA . Over 300 dancers from all over Europe and Southern Africa applied to audition for Where Is Home? and the production continues to be a vital platform for numerous artists, including choreographers, dancers, musicians, designers and filmmakers. Alongside the performances, State of Emergency offers an educational/outreach package examining, through music and movement, themes of displacement, migration, identity and belonging.

 

Where Is Home? has toured in the UK for two seasons, including a residency at ZOO Venues for Edinburgh Fringe. State of Emergency welcome approaches from new production partners and we are actively seeking opportunities to present the show to a wider audience.  

 

Where Is Home? was created with support from Arts Council England, Acossi Jeans New York, Dance In Devon, Dartington Arts Trust, Leicester City Council and Awards For All (Big Lottery Fund).