ACDC Duet Xchange: Celebrating dance in Cape Town

The Mother City has a new platform for watching, celebrating, and crowning some of South Africa’s best choreographers. Presented by Anderson Carvalho Dance & Choreography (ACDC), the bi-annual competition and performance platform is an opportunity to grow the country’s dance movement, with collaboration and original works in the spotlight.

The event is split into a two-day programme:

Opening night

Day 1 is the collaborative platform, where some of South Africa’s leading choreographers come together to perform new works. The lineup includes contemporary choreographer Janine Booysens, director Marlin Zoutman, veteran instructor Deborah McFadden, and the competition’s founder, Anderson Carvalho himself.

This sets the tone for the competition, as established creators perform in a shared creative space to showcase the talent and originality in South Africa’s dance community.

Duet competition

Day 2 is the competition platform, where the country’s up-and-coming generation of choreographers present their newly created duet works in a high-stakes bid to win the grand prize. All entrants were curated following an open call, with those selected showing work that was contemporary and true to themselves.

The selection is diverse, featuring many performers from Cape Town and Johannesburg, as well as Michael Halim from the Indonesian Dance Company. For more information about the event and the selected competitors, please visit the website.

There are two major honours at ACDC Duet Xchange. Winners of the Jury Award will be awarded R30 000 and gain the opportunity to stage a completely new work at the ACDC Dance Intersect at the Artscape Theatre Centre in 2027. Winners of the Audience Award will receive R15 000, an investment into their development as choreographers and performers.

The finalists will be joined by works from two local guest companies, Gain Collective and Oorleef Dance Project, with box office proceeds going directly to these artists to support the sustainability of South African dance.

While much of the focus is on the competition and its prizes, ACDC Duet Xchange is primarily about choreographic innovation, the development of South Africa’s young choreographers, and giving them a platform to showcase their artistic visions. Set in the District Six Museum’s Homecoming Centre, the event celebrates local artists and the country’s contemporary dance movement.

Cost: R150 per night. Book now on Webtickets.