Whether you’re into hip-hop, yoga, contemporary dance, or just looking for a full body class experience, this year’s JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience has something for the movers and shakers. Oh, and it’s free too!
Durban, South Africa (20 August 2025) – South Africa’s longest-running and most celebrated contemporary dance festival, JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience is back. And if you’ve been eager to try something new or just want to move your body, you’ll want to keep reading.
Eight workshops are being offered free of charge to dancers, dance-makers, and arts practitioners at this year’s JOMBA!, from 26 August to 7 September in Durban.
Five dance-focused workshops will be held at the Drama and Performance Studies Department (Dance Studio) at UKZN Howard College Campus and are open to dancers aged 16 and above.
27 August (Wednesday): 4-5.30pm
Sbonakaliso Ndaba from Cape Town kicks off the dance movement fun with a workshop that offers participants a full-body class experience in the technical dance training methods of Sbo Ndaba. It’s a high-impact class that encourages dancers to think with their bodies!
28 August (Thursday): 4-5.30pm
Dance teacher and choreographic assistant for Taiat Dansa, Barbara Diaz Rios from Valencia, Spain, will lead a fluid, technique-focused class and share some repertoire from FLOOD – a work featured at the festival on 28 August.
30 August (Saturday): 10-11.30am
Oulouy from the Ivory Coast will guide participants in a dynamic journey through vibrant street dance styles from across Africa and its diaspora. This workshop will explore the expressive potential of movement as a language, identity, and means of connection.
3 September (Wednesday): 4-5.30pm
Sunnyboy Motau, Artistic Director of the renowned South African dance company Moving into Dance, will lead a workshop in MID’s signature genre: Afrofusion.
6 September (Saturday): 10-11.30am
Didier Boutiana offers a workshop that draws on diverse influences such as hip-hop, yoga, and contemporary dance.
JOMBA! also features the following bespoke workshops:
Related Story
2 September (Tuesday): 11-12.30pm
A special digital music workshop from Benoit Bottex (and Desiré Davids) will be held at UKZN’s Music Department. The session will explore sound synthesis and the benefits of modular synthesisers in live performance. Various instruments will be demonstrated, with a collective demo.
3 September (Wednesday): 2-4pm
Greg Homann, Artistic Director of The Market Theatre Foundation, will conduct a workshop on theme, structure, and storytelling. Taking place at the UKZN Drama Prac Room, it invites participants to engage with dramaturgical tools that unlock meaning, sharpen intent, and clarify emotional and thematic elements. Suitable for performers, directors, and choreographers, it offers practical insights into creating compelling thematic and narrative work.
5 September (Friday): 2 – 4pm
A workshop titled ‘Getting the most from your Festival Appearance: Optimising your own publicity at a dance festival,’ led by Sharlene Versfeld from Durban, a seasoned publicist. Participants will learn why developing their own publicity materials is vital, how to maximise exposure, and how to collaborate with festivals to grow their audiences. This interactive session will be held at the Centre for Creative Arts, Boardroom, UKZN.
Booking is essential for all workshops via email at 2024jomba@gmail.com.
Sources: Supplied
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 