03–06 July 2025 | Glennie Hall, Victoria Primary School | Makhanda, Eastern Cape | To book tickets click here

“The Forest”, a family-friendly dance performance that explores themes of nature, ambition, love, and resilience, will be presented as part of the National Arts Festival Fringe Program from 03–06 July 2025 at Glennie Hall, Makhanda, Eastern Cape. The show integrates live dance, vivid animation, and multi-dimensional storytelling, creating an immersive experience where children can engage actively or observe at their own pace.

This is a wonderful opportunity for children to explore creativity, decision-making, and the magic of performing arts in an inclusive and inspiring environment.

SHOW DETAILS
Venue: Glennie Hall, Victoria Primary School
Dates: 03–04 July 2025 at 10:00 AM & 05–06 July 2025 at 12:00 PM
Duration: 40 minutes
️ Tickets: ZAR 60.00 (all ages, recommended from ages 5+ yrs)
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ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE

“The Forest” explores two parallel realms—the mystical world of nature and mythological beings, and the human world filled with personal challenges and triumphs. Through this lens, young audiences are encouraged to reflect on themes of  love, resilience, environmental awareness, and the power of personal choices.

“Some children react instantly to cues, while others take time to process them. However, as technology advances, children are increasingly in constant motion—jumping, running, reacting instantly. Asking them to ‘stand still’ can feel like asking them to stop thinking.” — Kateryna Aloshyna, choreographer and co-founder of the Art Educational Platform “Contemporary Dance Laboratory” (NPC in Paarl).

This interactive experience invites children to actively engage or simply observe, allowing each child to shape their own unique journey through The Forest.

A FESTIVAL ENERGY

Presented as part of ASSITEJ South Africa’s family theatre hub, “The Forest” contributes to a powerful line-up of local and international works during the 2025 National Arts Festival Fringe Program — a festival bursting with new ideas and imaginative spirit.

“The global landscape is entirely unpredictable; trends emerge and collapse, institutions quiver, shocks reverberate and radical new ideas rumble below a tense surface. The Festival is a fluid container for these conversations. Unhinged from the daily grind, artists first see and then weave  – through words, art, body or expression – that which we are too busy to truly notice. At the Festival we enter this world of the artist, leaving the everyday for the unexpected.” — Rucera Seethal, Artistic Director, National Arts Festival.

The Festival continues to provide space for work that interrogates the country and world we live in and expresses the viewpoints of diverse communities locally and globally. Through the lens that the arts offer, we are better equipped to understand the world, and our place in it, finding meaning and personal transformation.

Be Part of South Africa’s Creative Pulse

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For media interviews, please contact Olga +27 646 192 237 or [email protected].

 

About the Project 

Inspired by Lesya Ukrainka’s timeless literary masterpiece, “Forest Song”, this production was created in 2021 to mark the 150th anniversary of the legendary Ukrainian poet and presented at the Roodepoort Theatre (Johannesburg) in collaboration between the Ukrainian Association of South Africa, choreographer Kateryna Aloshyna (co-founder of the Contemporary Dance Laboratory), and the Embassy of Ukraine to South Africa, the performance bridges cultures, generations, and artistic expressions.

“I’m alive! I’ll live eternally! I have that in my heart which cannot die!” excerpt from the book “Forest song” by Lesya Ukrainka — a writer, translator, folklorist, public and cultural activist, a world-class figure, her portrait appears on Ukraine’s 200 hryvnia note (valued at approximately R100).

A visually striking and thought-provoking contemporary dance performance, “The Forest” explores the contrasts between human ambition and the natural world, weaving together themes of love, fidelity, and the complexities of life. It is a story of romance and tragedy, reimagined through a child’s perspective, where second chances are possible.

Creative Team: 

Idea & Choreography: Kateryna Aloshyna (Ukraine/South Africa)
Dancers: Carren Johannisen (Wellington, SA), Abigail Johnson (Paarl, SA), Tyla Kleyn (Cape Town, SA) and Andre Maarman (Worcester, SA)

Music: Maksym Berezhnyuk (Ukrainian sopilka) & Dmytro Aleksienko (beatboxing)
Animation: Mykyta Budantsov (Ukraine)

About Contemporary Dance Laboratory (CDL) Established in 2023, CDL is dedicated to promoting contemporary dance as an innovative art form that fosters professional collaboration and social reflection. Through various artistic mediums, CDL advocates for the rights and well-being of children and youth, recognizing the transformative power of the arts.

About Ukrainian Association of South Africa UAZA (NPO 189-705) is a collaborative association registered in May 2017 that promotes networks between Ukrainians and South Africans for mutual development, increased awareness and inner growth of individuals and societies. For more information www.uaza.co.za.

About ASSITEJ South Africa Founded in 2007, ASSITEJ SA is committed to nurturing theatre for young audiences by supporting artists, integrating performing arts into education, and advocating for every child’s right to creative expression.

The participation in the festival is supported by the Ukrainian Institute, Ukraine’s major cultural and public diplomacy institution, and NGO Cultural Diplomacy Foundation.

Come explore “The Forest”—where imagination takes the lead, and every child’s voice matters.