• Release year: 2024
• Directors: Suzanne Smith and Sylvia Solf.
• Producer: Suzanne Smith.
• Cinematography by: Motheo Moeng.
• Music by: Thuthuka Sibisi.

Shotgun Commentary: must-watch for dance lovers and anyone interested in how to express your feelings with your body rather than your words.

Review

Joy Dancer follows choreographer and body artist Gregory Maqoma in his creative journey alongside composer and musical director Thuthuka Sibisi. Their aim is to create a piece that reminds us all of a horrible moment in time and conveys how that moment still affects individuals today. The use of art to denounce injustice and express one’s feelings is nothing new. Still, Maqoma and Sibisi manage to make it look so with their extraordinary talent.

The light and shadow of expertise

The main focus of the documentary is Maqoma. We are introduced to him via his workout routine and a dance class where he teaches kids what expressing yourself through movement is all about. Thus, the opening establishes both his expertise, passion and determination from the get-go.

These characteristics will be paramount to achieve the goal he has: to tell his own narrative of that key historical moment in the 19th century, when a Black South African choir toured through Victorian England. The combination of his roots and his love of music connects him with this story on several levels. Levels that will be beautifully unravelled by him throughout the film.

Joy Dancer does a great work showcasing all the facets of Maqoma as an artist, both good and bad. Even though it is slightly glossed over, the audience can see that, as good as he is as a leader, some issues arise when it comes to co-leading. As expected from artists who are very knowledgable and proud of their art, Maqoma sometimes has some trouble listening to the others, choosing to focus on his own path instead. There seems to be some tension between “co-captains” of the team. Luckily, their talent is way bigger than that, as seen during the rehearsals.

A unique experience

Maqoma is also shown improving and “soaking in the spirits of the past”. Essentially, putting himself in their skin and trying to imagine and feel how they felt. These moments are the most intense of the feature, where the audience can fully understand the extent of Maqoma’s artistry. The way he expresses his every feeling through movement without any restraint or worry is utterly breathtaking. As a shy person, one can’t help but admire and look up to that level of confidence and connection with oneself. Not only is it gorgeous, but you can actually see how dancing can also be therapeutic, healing.

The storytelling accompanies the protagonist seamlessly. The pace follows every development without pausing in it more than it’s needed, putting emphasis in the dances and singing. Through the collective creative process, we learn about how generational trauma can be channelled into art. About how our own experiences can be translated into performances as a way to face and deal with our feelings.

Much ado about nothing

Regrettably, the build-up is so great both in front and behind the cameras that the actual performance falls quite flat. In comparison to the rehearsals, it looks like the messiest version of what they were trying. The feeling of first sketch robbing the film of its due climax. Catalonia is the perfect choice for a performance of this theme. The audience is almost guaranteed to like anything that goes against colonialism or institutions of power, especially in the realm of the arts.

However, choosing singers who can’t deliver the speed of English singing necessary feels like the wrong move. One can’t help but wonder why risk it instead of getting some other group who can do it. No matter how Broken Chord sings (which is astonishingly good, by the way), the overall product is hindered by these limitations. Well, and by the PJ-looking outfits. It is unclear what those were about, but they totally clash with the story, at least from a Westerner’s perspective.

Final disappointment aside, Joy Dancer does a great job shadowing the creative process of Maqoma without getting involved. The movie acts as an invisible spectator, providing the audience with the most detailed and truthful point of view of how to make a powerful play that talks about relevant themes in the most original way possible.

Thanks to EIFF 2024 for big screen access!

Advice to take from this movie:

• Dancing is also a form of therapy.
• There is no shame in expressing one’s feelings through movement.
• The more invisible you are on a documentary, the better you’re making it.

What’s your take? Have you watched Joy Dancer? What was your takeaway from it?

Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀