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FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY

FLATFOOT began in 1994 as a part-time training programme that aimed to offer contemporary dance training to any Durban/eThekwini-based dancers who were able to make the classes. The company began with no funding and simply the goodwill and political and artistic impulse to offer dance training to primarily black dancers who have historically and economically been denied access due to the apartheid systems. 

FLATFOOT prides itself on the vast amount of dance development and dance education work that they run in both rural and urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

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THE BOARD

Sharlene Versveld (Chair)
Dr Gerard Samuel
Thobile Maphanga
Clare Craighead
Wesley Maherry
Russel Hlongwane
Thulani Msani
Lliane Loots

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MISSION AND VISION

  1. To offer a professional dance company that creates contemporary dance work that engages with the context in which we live.
    FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY is committed to artistic innovation and the creation of dance work that is relevant to the South African (and African) context.
  2. To offer youth training and dance skills development programmes that focus on ideas of inclusion, disability access, and gender parity.
    FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY is committed to both job creation in the dance/arts sector, and also growth and development in the arts in KZN and South Africa.
  3. To offer quality community dance engagement programmes in our province (rural and urban)
    FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY is deeply committed to making sure that dance is available to ALL regardless of rural or urban living, and understands the need to redress the lack of cultural/arts education in particularly rural and poor communities where schools often do not offer arts and culture programmes.
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MEET THE COMPANY

Lliane Loots
Jabu Siphika
SIFISO KHUMALO
ZINHLE NZAMA
MTHOKOZISI MKHWANAZI
SISEKO DUBA
SIBONGAKONKE NDLOVU
NDUMISO ‘DIGGA’ DUBE
CLARE CRAIGHEAD

HISTORY

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY’s home in the heart of the East Coast of South Africa in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is nestled in the heart of the warm Indian Ocean facing city of Durban/eThekwini. Our sense of geographical location is important as it offers a unique flavour to this contemporary dance company. Often working with memory and history, FLATFOOT has developed a unique identity as a contemporary South African dance company that is known to offer artistically and socially charged dance theatre work.

Lliane Loots began FLATFOOT in 1994 as a part-time training programme that aimed to offer contemporary dance training to any Durban/eThekwini-based dancers who were able to make the classes. The company began with no funding and simply the goodwill and political and artistic impulse to offer dance training to primarily black dancers who have historically and economically been denied access due to the apartheid systems. In 2002 a decision was made to secure a more permanent base for some of the exceptional dancers who were coming through the training. In 2003 the company settled into its permanent status and began its professional journey to become the internationally recognised contemporary dance company that it is today.

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY sets out to push the boundaries of space, place and belonging in its dance performance work that has seen the company winning awards and commissions across South Africa, and touring extensively on the African continent. FLATFOOT encourages both the growth of choreographers within the company, as well as committing to artistic collaborations and partnership where possible. Apart from performance works created by Lliane Loots, Sifiso Khumalo, Jabu Siphika and Zinhle Nzama, FLATFOOT has had the privilege of partnering with choreographers like, Fana Tshabalala (South Africa), Virva Talonen (Finland), Gaby Saranouffi (Madagascar/South Africa), Andile Vellum, (South Africa), Yaseen Manuel (South Africa), Adriaan Luteijn (Netherlands), Vincent Mantsoe (South Africa), Kevin Iega Jeff (USA), Adeayo Liadi (Nigeria), Sifiso Kweyama (South Africa), and Daniel Renner (Austria).

FLATFOOT prides itself on not only offering dance work that has won numerous awards, commissions and invitations from all over the world, but also on the vast amount of dance development and dance education work that they run in both rural and urban areas of KwaZulu-Natal. The initial impulse of creating FLATFOOT – the idea of growing dance and dancers – is something that the company still remains true to over 30 years since its beginning.

Lliane Loots began FLATFOOT in 1994 as a part-time training programme with the political and artistic impulse to offer dance training to primarily black dancers who had historically and economically been denied access due to the apartheid system.

July 1994

FLATFOOT receives its first funding (from the National Arts Council of South Africa) and sediments the company becoming a professional dance company

March 2003

FLATFOOT is registered as a Non-Profit Organisation with the Department of Social Welfare (NPO 040/053) and sets up it Board.

June 2005

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LLIANE LOOTS

Artistic Director
Choreographer
Educator

Loots founded FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY as a professional dance company in 2003 when it grew out of a dance training programme that originally began in 1994. As the artistic director and resident choreographer for FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY, she has won numerous national choreographic awards and commissions and has travelled extensively – as both teacher and choreographer – in Europe, America and within the African continent. Lliane Loots also holds the positions of Lecturer in the Drama and Performance Studies Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She completed her PhD in 2018 looking at contemporary dance/performance histories on the African continent. Loots hold the founding position of Artistic Director/Curator for UKZN’s Centre for Creative Arts’s annual international JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience. Loots was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government in 2017 for her work (both artistic and curatorial) in the South African dance sector, and in 2023 the Centre for Creative Arts Awarded her with a “LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD” for her 25-year contribution to UKZN’s JOMBA! Festival (as both founder and curator) and for her contribution to dance in South Africa.

Jabu Siphika

Dancer
Dance Educator
Community Engagement Liaison Officer

Jabu joined FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY in February 2007. She received her initial dance training through Phenduka Dance Theatre, and also spent two years as a senior member of Phenduka Dance Theatre performing extensively with the company all over South Africa, before moving to FLATFOOT. In 2007 she completed a course in Dance in Education – a graduate module offered at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Durban). Jabu took a one-year sabbatical from FLATFOOT over 2012 where she worked with Gregory Maqoma and his Johannesburg based Vuyani Dance Theatre. Jabu has participated in Boyzie Cekwana (South Africa) and Faustin Linyekula’s (Democratic Republic of Congo) continental dance residency that has seen her work in Kenya, DRC, Germany and Ireland. Jabu has choreographed numerous works for both the FLATFOOT Training Company and more recently for the main company. She is currently working with German Chinese choreographer Hannah Ma in an international partnership between FLATFOOT and the Hannah Ma Dance Company.

SIFISO KHUMALO

Dancer
Dance Educator
Training and Development Officer

Sifiso began his dance performance career in 1998 with UKUSA ARTS PROGRAMME. In 1999 he went to work with the French company called Cie Jean Francois Duroure in a production called “What are you doing here?” which toured Belgium, France, Germany, Holland and many east central countries in Africa. In 2001 he joined Phenduka Dance Theatre’s training progamme and after completing the training in 2005 set off to join the internationally acclaimed African Footprint (which also went on to tour to Morocco and India). In 2006 he joined FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY and has performed intensively with the company ever since. He has completed a graduate course, Dance in Education, at the University of KwaZulu Natal (Durban) in 2007. Khumalo has participated in Boyzie Cekwana (South Africa) and Faustin Linyekula’s (Democratic Republic of Congo) continental dance residency that has seen him work in Kenya, DRC and most recently Ireland. As of 2018, Khumalo has stepped more solidly into the role of choreographer for FLATFOOT.

ZINHLE NZAMA

Dancer
Dance Educator
Administrative Liaison Officer

Zinhle gained her primary dance training with Phenduka Dance Theatre between 2005 and 2007, after which she decided to study further and finally obtained her Bachelor of Education through UNISA in 2015. She has been a guest dancer with companies like Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre, and Nateshwar Dance Company. Zinhle joined FLATFOOT full time at the beginning of 2015 and brought a vital energy to the company that resonated with her symbiotic love of performance and teaching. Zinhle has choreographed numerous works for both the FLATFOOT Training Company and more recently has begun to stretch her skills in work created for the main company.

MTHOKOZISI MKHWANAZI

Dancer
Dance Educator

Mthoko started dancing with Flatfoot in early January 2010 in iour community project from KwaMashu called “Siyakhula Dance Programme”. In 2011 he was selected to travel with FLATFOOT to Zimbabwe for a culture exchange with CHIPOWA. In 2013 he was selected for the inaugural FLATFOOT career pathing and skills development programme called the Advanced Dance Development programme (ADD). Alongside this he has also attended classes and training with KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre (KMSDT). In 2019, Mthoko joined FLATFOOT as a full-time company member. In 2020 he stretched his choreographic wings and created his first work for FLATFOOT in a season called BUSY SEEING RED. In 2022 he was invited by the Birmingham (UK) based ACE dance and music to spend a year with their company in an exchange with FLATFOOT. His work with ACE has gone so well that Mthoko continues his secondment to ACE into 2024.

SISEKO DUBA

Dancer
Dance Educator

Siseko comes from Newlands West and started dancing in 2010 through FLATFOOT’s programme with the Newlands Youth Organization. In 2013 he was selected for the inaugural FLATFOOT career pathing and skills development programme called the Advanced Dance Development programme (ADD). In 2019, Siseko joined FLATFOOT company as a full-time company member. Siseko has also recently joined the FLATFOOT Downie Dance programme where his gentle and focused way of working has resonated with this integrated access dance programme.

SIBONGAKONKE NDLOVU

Dancer
Dance Educator

Hailing from KwaMashu, Sbonga started dancing with FLATFOOT in early January 2010 in our community project from KwaMashu called “Siyakhula Dance Programme”. In 2013 he was selected for the inaugural FLATFOOT career pathing and skills development programme called the Advanced Dance Development programme (ADD). In 2018 he made his debut with the professional company in Lliane Loots’s “things left unsaid”. In 2019, Sbonga joined FLATFOOT as a full-time company member and has done work with Loots, Sifiso Khumalo, Jabu Siphika and worked with recent guest choreographers to the company Fana Tshabalala, Yaseen Manuel and Virva Talonen.

NDUMISO ‘DIGGA’ DUBE

Dancer
Dance Educator

Digga started dancing in 2008 with FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY’S KwaMashu based programme called SIYAKHULA DANCE PROJECT. As part of SIYAKHULA he toured with FLATFOOT to ZIMBABWE in 2011 for a cultural exchange with CHIPAWO. In 2013 he was selected for the inaugural FLATFOOT career pathing and skills development programme called the Advanced Dance Development programme (ADD). In 2018 he made hi debut with the professional company in Lliane Loots’s “things left unsaid”. In 2019, Digga joined FLATFOOT as a full-time company member. He has also been teaching in FLATFOOT’s rural programme called the TUGELA RIVER MOUTH DANCE PROGRAMME where he has proved to be a gifted dance educator and teacher. In 2023, Digga also participated in FLATFOOT’s ACCESS work and specifically the work done with wheelchair dancers.

CLARE CRAIGHEAD

Company Manager

In 2003, when the company launched itself professionally, Clare joined the company in the role of ‘Company Manager’ and has been with the company ever since. She holds a Master of Social Sciences degrees  from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Clare is presently employed as a lecturer at the Durban University of Technology in the Drama Studies programme. Her professional dance-related working career began in 2002 when she worked as Stage Manager to Durban-based Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre. Since then she has worked with, alongside FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY, Phenduka Dance Theatre and The Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company (as a stage/production manager/technician /crew), and numerous KICKSTART productions. Since 2007, Clare has also facilitated and run the international Dance Writing residency for the Durban-based Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience. She is also a gifted graphics designer and is responsible for all of FLATFOOT’s posters, flyers and print and social media.