Popular mass dance showcase Cape Town’s “Most Wanted” returns to the Artscape Theatre for a 13th production.
With a total of 370 dancers taking stage in the special Youth Month themed show, this high energy production is knowns for its street dance style and is set to showcase over three days, kicking off June 27 to 29.
The much loved show has grown extensively in popularity each year and constantly bringing new audiences to Artscape Theatre with sold out performances. Produced by The Dance Project and Triple C, it provides a platform for audiences to get to see the best of Cape Town’s Hip Hop dancers, choreographers and dance crews - from right across Cape Town and beyond, in one performance.
While the show isn't a competition, various dance crews from different dance companies put their best foot forward to showcase a specially choreographed dance routine taught by the professionals in the project.
Industry professionals Cleo Notcutt-Williams and Sipho Didiza are the directors of the show which its produced by Triple C and The Dance Project.
Notcutt-Williams said the show is a unique opportunity to experience live and raw, on one stage, in one performance; the unique styles with all genres showing their dynamic diversity, stunning creativity, mind-blowing technique and sheer swagger-bility.
“These are the best of Cape Town’s Street Dance as they exude their passion, joy and excitement in Cape Town’s Most Wanted. This unique show boasts a lot of talented dancers and teams who have been representing themselves proudly in national and international dance competitions over the time period of 2022-2023.
“It is the 13th year that the production has been running, but the 10th year at Artscape Theatre. It started at a small theatre in Woodstock, called "Theatre in the District", then we did one year at the City Hall, then it moved on to Artscape during their youth month programme in June annually.”
Notcutt-Williams said the application process was open to dance clubs who want to be part and used an online application process providing previous footage of their work.
“ This opens up at the beginning of the year. Once the application process is closed we have a panel discussion looking at the crews that fit the “Most Wanted” theme while researching past dance competition winners and awards for certain crews in the dance industry.
“ The panel then invites these dancers to perform in the show, totalling about 25 crews that ends up making the total cast number of 370 street dancers involved.”
Didiza adds: “We are excited to see some new faces on stage this year, we have new groups joining us such a Jazzart Dance Theatre, Wabi Sabi, Audacious and many more, a dynamic soloist from Durban, 'Verb', who recently competed in the World Finals of Red Bull Dance Your Style, as well as a guest performance by Chaise Williams, a local artist from Cape Town who started as a dancer and is now making major moves in the music industry.
“We have collaborations with Concrete Apostles, who will be hosting 'Outdoor Raw", pop-up dance sessions outside the theatre before the show to bring the Cape Town's Most Wanted audience closer to the essence of street dance culture.
“The show has 25 different performances and will never disappoint in variety and entertainment. We are excited to see what all the crews will bring to the stage this year.”
Show times for the Thursday and Friday shows are 7.30pm and on Saturday at 3pm and 7.30pm. Tickets are available on Webtickets for R140.