Primary Schools 2012

2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |  2005

The funding cycle that started on receipt of the first tranche from the NLDTF in July 2009 committed us to three years of running the eMzantsi primary schools twinning programme. However, the Harlequin Foundation was able to stretch the budget to offering an additional fourth year, but only to 6 participants: Ukhanyo, Marine, Kommetjie, Simonstown and Fish Hoek Primaries plus Rock Academy, a school that asked to join the programme at the end of last year.

Following successful training processes since 2009 funded by NLDTF, we were very proud that for the first time in 5 years of running this programme our entire facilitator team was local. Former Jungle Theatre Laduma trainees Candice Waries and Stacey Francke of Ocean View matured through their experience on the programme over the last 2 years and were promoted to assist lead facilitator Ntombi Mkhasibe who lives in De Gama Park. Having trained Leo Letsape of Ocean View in bloco management last year, RedZebra relinquished their berth on the programme. With assistant facilitator and former volunteer Michelle van Blommestein of Noordhoek, Leo taught all percussion and created the schools’ junk funk ‘baby bloco’. In addition, the schools programme is now being managed entirely by operations manager Cindy Carelse of Ocean View and schools coordinator Yandiswa Mazwana of Masiphumelele without direct oversight from MD Sam Pearce.

 

eMzantsi schools 2012 facilitating team l to r: Yandiswa, Leo, Ntombi,Candice, Michelle and Stacey at the front

In 2012, due to the funding constraints, there was a shorter fortnightly workshop programme of 10 weeks instead of 15, from term 2 to 4, with a greater emphasis on mapiko involvement and creating recycled instruments. The theme was ‘Family Tree’ and the main message ‘We are all connected’ was well made at performances in assemblies in Heritage Week in September.

 

The recycled Family Tree doubled as container for junk funk instruments

Group 1: Fish Hoek Primary and Simonstown School
Group 2: Ukhanyo Primary and Rock Academy
Group 3: Marine Primary and Kommetjie Primary

Group 1: Fish Hoek Primary and Simonstown School

Children from Simonstown and Fish Hoek together, with educators Tanya Chetty and Bukiwe Mbano

First performance at Fish Hoek

The Grade 4 and 5 learners were very excited waiting outside before their first performance

but the drummers and the dancers looked spectacular and made a big impact in the Fish Hoek
Primary School hall accompanied by the big drums of the eMzantsi Bloco

Second performance at Simonstown

The joint group went straight from one assembly to the other, and were noticeably more confident

and smiley in the second performance at Simonstown School – we were very proud of their message

‘Like the roots, trunk and branches of our Family Tree, we are all connected’

 

Group 2: Ukhanyo Primary and Rock Academy

Ukhanyo Primary has no school hall so rehearsal spaces varied between the Masiphumelele Baptist Church, the Pink House or even outside!

Getting to know each other games in week one
Recycled art activities for costume accessory making, and junk funk drumming practice

First performance at Ukhanyo Primary

Group 2 also performed both their assemblies on the same day, back to back, but conditions couldn’t have been more different:
How powerfully the Rock Academy children were able to appreciate how challenging the school life of their peers at Ukhanyo, a school of more than 600 children without a school hall, who had to gather for assembly during a rain storm in a courtyard full of giant puddles.

Second performance at Rock Academy

How special for Ukhanyo children to have another chance to perform in the warm and carpeted space of the King of Kings Baptist Church where the entire Rock Academy learner body number no more than 50, less than a single class at their school.

How they bonded through this very special exciting eMzantsi experience – group hug!

Group 3: Kommetjie and Marine Primaries

Kommetjie and Marine was the biggest group, but had a choice of spaces to rehearse, from the

Kommetjie school hall to the Ocean View Multipurpose Centre (and the fields on hot days).

First performance at Kommetjie Primary

This group had a nervous start – the presence of a DVD camera in the hall put them off their stride!
The big bonus of this year that the kids were able to repeat their final performances and improve, rather than have only one chance to shine at the main Carnival.

Second performance at Marine Primary

Happily this was a much improved performance, as it was to a much bigger crowd: the whole of Marine
Primary walked down the road to the Ocean View Multipurpose Centre to watch them strut their stuff.

Group 3 certainly obliged, with a spirited show plus extra games at the end courtesy of Leo

and tons of fun was had by all!