Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees 2024: Exit/Exist – an Instagram review

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Exit/Exist (Photo via woordfees.co.za)

Exit/Exist is a swan song performed by legendary dancer and choreographer Gregory Maqoma. Maqoma created this piece to end off his career when he turned 50. It explores his ancestor Jongumsobomvu Maqoma’s legacy as a historically renowned Xhosa leader who died on Robben Island. It is a meaningful and emotionally loaded piece. I drank in the beautiful movement, stark imagery and melodious singing. The piece created a tapestry of live guitar music, singing, dancing, projections and an electronic soundscape, including sound effects and narration.

My main issue is that I had no idea how the dance and music fitted with the concept and message of the piece. The narrative and story passed me by, since I unfortunately do not speak Xhosa. And while I found the narration lyrical and poetic to listen to, it was meaningless to me. I do wish that key story points or phrases had been projected onto the screen to allow non-Xhosa-speaking audience members to follow along. 

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The African influence in the music and set, the use of sand and liquid to create strong visuals and the unbelievable voices of the quartet accompanying Maqoma are all locked in my memory.
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Apart from this, I truly enjoyed the performance. The dancing was performed with an ease that made me feel almost like I was watching him dancing in his own home. It was intimate and mesmerising. The African influence in the music and set, the use of sand and liquid to create strong visuals and the unbelievable voices of the quartet accompanying Maqoma are all locked in my memory. The guitar became the connecting thread for me, binding the elements together and creating a shared energy. The piece is an exciting collaboration between Théâtre de la Ville (France), Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg (Belgium), Dance Umbrella (South Africa) and Vuyani Dance Theatre.

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Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees 2024: ’n Lewe in die dag van ’n vrugtevlieg, en so meer: Die ongewerwelde-trilogie – ’n resensie

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