Stories from Cape Town for Cape Town!

The Cape Town Carnival and its participating stakeholders recently completed an exciting phase of the Carnival. Over the past few weeks focus group workshops were held with creative representatives from the larger cultural groupings, which are already on board with the Carnival as well as professional individuals from the creative industries that volunteered their services.

Five electrifying group storylines were created, each storyline comprising 6 different sections referred to as chapters. The chapters will be represented and interpreted by 2 or more performing genres drawn from the membership of the formal organisations and their representatives of particular regions. These genres will form the anchor of each chapter, as well as guide the creation of individual songs, costumes and floats for each of the five groups.

Each group, tasked with creating stories that speak to the purpose, intent and overall theme of the Cape Town Carnival, conceptualised the elements of each storyline.

“Our stakeholders were amazing! Watching the stories unfold, and hearing the imaginative interpretations of how one could represent them confirmed what we have known all along: Cape Town has immense talent and the Carnival is excited to showcase this to the world. It was also awesome to see how performers and creative industry experts brain-stormed together to create something new, a step closer to bringing our communities closer together,” commented Isabel Meyer, the CEO of the Cape Town Carnival.

The storyline titles are “The Missing Pieces”, “Stories of the Sea”, “Children of the Winds of Change”, “Postcards from Cape Town” and “The Streets of Cape Town”. These are currently being refined and will influence elements like costume and prop design, music, puppets and floats. Feedback sessions to the main leaders of the five main groups are to follow shortly. The exciting rehearsal period will commence in October 2009.

Where specific artistic influences are required, smaller groups will be invited to supplement the chapters. A number of smaller groups have already volunteered themselves, and where appropriate space will be found for these individual groupings to work with the larger genres.

Stakeholders already committed to participating to make the Cape Town Carnival the highlight of Cape Town’s Art and culture calendar include the Cape Town Minstrels Carnival Association, Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association, Cape Malay Choir Board, WC Drumline Association, Cape Music Industry Commission, AmaAmbush Marimbas, Federation of Dance Sport South Africa, WC Marching Bands Association, South African Christmas Bands Board, WC Drum Majorettes, Community Plough Back Movement, Western Province Dance Teachers Association and various other community organisation from in and around the city.

Here’s what some of them had to say:

“I am impressed with the multi-cultural support and fun had by all! I find this is what Cape Town has lacked and I believe that The Cape Town Carnival will bring our Community together and for WPDTA it’s a wonderful experience to support and to give our dancers, from all genres and races a chance to participate and give something back to our wonderful City!”
- Paul Johnson, Western Province Dance Teachers Association

“This event has the potential to bring together musicians and artists from around the Cape, and is already creating new opportunities and relationships for all involved. The planning for the Carnival is being run ethically and professionally, and we are proud to be associated with the event.”
- Ross Johnson MD amaAmbush Productions

“The Western Cape Marching Band Association and South African Marching Show Band love the idea of the Cape Town Carnival to build community and stimulate development through creatively combining Cape Town. This atmosphere will bring different cultures together, celebrating as one nation.”
- Fadiel Gasant, South African Marching Show Band Association

“Cape Town Carnival will fuse many genres, and for our Kaapse Klopse Karnival this is a blessing and will add value to the people of Cape Town. The talent showcased, management, and the contribution to the private sector for the funding of specific aspects of the Carnival, will be transferred both ways. The unexplored potential of The Cape Town Carnival in Cape Town will become visible. The Cape Town Carnival has the know-how necessary for how Carnival should be in South Africa.”
- Melvyn Matthews, Kaapse Klopse Karnival

An invitation is extended to all creative industries, performing groups and anyone else that would like to volunteer for this event to contact the Carnival office on info@capetowncarnival.com or to join the Facebook group “Cape Town Carnival” for more information on how the community can be involved.