The personal becomes public in Standard Bank Young Artist for Dance (2025) Asanda Ruda’s latest dance offering

BY Tonderai Chiyindiko

Titled Asanda Ruda Residency – An Intimate Immersion, Standard Bank Young Artist for Dance (2025), Asanda Ruda, did what most would regard as unthinkable when she presented her latest work at her grandmother’s small four-roomed house, in Senaoane, Soweto. The small but appreciative audience was treated to a deeply engaging, masterfully performed and carefully choreographed solo piece which was accompanied by a haunting soundscape evoking lands far and wide on the African continent and beyond.

Her dance piece drawn from her seminal works KEMET: Black Lands and ALKAMAL ALKAMAL ALMUTLAQ reimagined to fit the rather small space of her grandmother’s bedroom also serves as a poignant backdrop for the thematic concerns which Ruda’s dance practice addresses. The outside areas as well as the other rooms were allocated for play and reflection, as the audience was invited to paint and add their own artistic renderings to the experience.

The day’s programme was divided into four parts, and it included a documentary screening detailing the process which went into the conceptulisation, creation and presentation of her most recent work. (It’s a pity I could not stay to see this one as I rushed to another engagement.)

In the programme notes Ruda describes how the choice of presenting her latest work at her Gogo’s house serves the purpose of “reimagining the space as a site for reflection on origin, presence and possibility”.

With the presentation of this daring yet deeply meaningful work, Asanda Ruda solidifies her growing local and international stature as one of the most hardworking and brave dance practitioners who is not afraid to experiment with new ways of creative expression and new forms of presentation.

Asanda Ruda’s work derived from her works KEMET: Black Lands and ALKAMAL ALKAMAL ALMUTLAQ is showing at 1414 Komati Street, Senaoane, Soweto until 30 January 2025.