Rondebosch choreographers Grant van Ster, 34, and Shaun Oelf, 33, return to the Baxter Theatre for the second season of their production, Wag / Waiting.
The contemporary dance production, which had its first run at the Baxter in July, is produced by their Figure of 8 Dance Collective company and explores the concept of waiting.
Van Ster, who grew up in Eerste River, says waiting is part of life and it’s always going to be there.
“What we do in that time of waiting in that moment is up to us.”
Oelf, who is originally from Knysna, says they wanted to show that waiting is a process.
“We want to evoke the emotion to the audience about how people can cope with waiting.”
This production has contemporary and hip-hop dance moves, accompanied by backing tracks and it also includes a backdrop of chairs they use to share the story of waiting.
Returning for the second season are Gabriela Dirkse, 26, from Vredendal and Dustin Jannetjies, 24, from Okiep in Namaqualand.
Dirkse says she’s thrilled to be back on stage with Van Ster and Oelf.
“Their dance style is different to what I am used to. There are a lot of challenges. In this production, I am the only female, and they inspire me to add new elements to my dancing.”
Jannetjies says it came easy for him to work with Van Ster and Oelf as they were taught by the same Jazzart Dance Theatre instructors as him.
“There is good teamwork and energy in our preparation ahead of the production,” he says.
Van Ster and Oelf first met at Jazzart about eight years ago. They formed Figure of 8 Dance Collective five years ago.
Oelf, who only really started dancing at 19, says he and Van Ster share a strong passion for dancing.
“I know what he wants and vice versa, and we push ourselves, and we also criticise each other in order to improve.”
Van Ster, who has been passionate about dancing since he was 6, says they talk a lot and share a lot of ideas.
“We work together but also work individually, and there is a lot of give and take between the two of us.”
They performed at Woordfees in Stellenbosch earlier this year and participated in the Baxter Dance Festival in September. They were co-choreographers for David Kramer’s Danger in the Dark last month.
Van Ster is now helping with choreography for Aunty Merle – It’s a Girl and Oelf was a backup dancer for Toni Braxton’s concert earlier this month.
Wag / Waiting will be playing at the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio until Saturday December 7. It will have shows from tonight and tomorrow at 8.15pm while on Saturday there will be two shows at 4pm and then later at 8.15pm. Tickets cost R100, R80 for students and pensioners and R50 for schools doing a block booking. Book at Webtickets or Pick * Pay.