By Sandyi Mbhele
Market Theatre in Newtown, Johannesburg, is a creative buzzing place that has seen quite a massive development over the years. With fresh young talent, from play writers, choreographers, dancers and actors now having the space and platform to showcase their work.
I had one of my closet friends tag along to what was a completely unexpected experience. The Rule of Three kicked off the Flemish dance season in SA, the play was marketed as a dance and music infusion that is inspired by both the musician who we came to know as NAH, real name Michul Kuun and choreography by Jan Martens.
The play is a collection of short stories, I would be lying if I say I knew what they were before. I was lost and didnt understand the direction of the stories nor dance. However, I was really enthralled by was the man behind the music. I was fixed by Michul”s music, the beats, the drops, his drums, to how he composed it all was very impressive.
Back to the dance performance side of the play, dancers Courtney May Robertson, Dan Mussett and Steven Michel had their moments. However, Robertson even with a small stature was captivating. She has powerful movement and at one point with the live music created by NAH which was a set of hip and hop the electronics was in your face.
As the play ended and as dumbfounded as we were after an hour of the show we did not get or follow. I had an amazing opportunity to interview the man behind the music, who came all the way from Philadelphia in the USA, the only thing that made real sense for me.
He was discovered by Martens who found his music through a music blog.
“The choreographer asked me to do this creation in June 2017, we premiered in Belgium in September 2017 and I think I have done the show now 85 times,’ NAH said.
He said the creation was a blend of his ideas and the dancer’s idea, “We got together during the days to trade ideas, sometimes I had to be ready to make anything, it’s just a creation of music and dance.”
Photo: The Rule of Three dancers. Supplied.
NAH said his genre of music is it specific, ” My main influence is growing up with US hip hop, playing in punk bands, then gradually growing up listening to jazz, world sounds, stuff from Japan to Africa soaking it all up and be the drummer I am and make weird sounds with drums.”
It was his first time in South Africa found it really cool walking around Newtown and said he is excited to collaborate with new music talent in the country.
Watch the space.
To hear the great sounds of Michul Kuun, aka NAH visit www.nahstuff.bandcamp.com
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