Unmute Dance Theatre, a Cape Town-based dance company, will perform at Fame Week Africa 2026, which takes place from October 28 to November 1 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The company's artistic director and co-founder, Nadine McKenzie, will also participate in a panel discussion on accessible production environments as part of the Inclusive Lens Awards. This event brings together professionals from the continent's film, television, and content industries.
Unmute Dance Theatre's performance, titled Timelapse, explores how life experiences shape a person through movement and physical expression. The piece has been staged in several countries, including South Korea, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, and Réunion Island. This performance provides South African industry audiences with an opportunity to experience a work that has already been recognized by international festival programmers.
The panel discussion, featuring McKenzie, will focus on creating safer and more accessible working environments in the creative sector, with an emphasis on accessibility, wellbeing, and sustainability. McKenzie stresses the importance of including artists with disabilities in creative decision-making processes, ensuring their voices and expertise help shape the industry. Unmute's presence at Fame Week Africa aims to promote inclusion and accessibility as standard practices in the industry.
Unmute Dance Theatre was established 13 years ago, filling a gap in South Africa's inclusive arts sector after Remix Dance Company closed. The company has since become the only full-time professional inclusive dance company in the country, employing and training artists with disabilities. Unmute's work has been presented at numerous international festivals and events, including the National Arts Festival and JOMBA! in South Africa.
The company's achievements include several awards, such as the Standard Bank Ovation Award and the Cultural Affairs Awards. Unmute's recognition also includes being a first runner-up for Best Choreography of the Year and second runner-up for Best Dance Facilitation of the Year at the School Enrichment Awards 2025. According to Statistics South Africa's Census 2022, approximately 3.3 million people in South Africa have a disability, highlighting the need for greater inclusion and accessibility.
Unmute's participation in Fame Week Africa 2026 is significant, as it brings artists with disabilities directly in front of industry professionals who commission work, cast productions, and make hiring decisions. The company's performance and panel discussion aim to promote greater understanding and implementation of accessibility and inclusion in the creative sector. The event details include the performance of Timelapse on October 29 at 17:00, as part of the Inclusive Lens Awards.
Key points
- Unmute Dance Theatre's performance at Fame Week Africa 2026 showcases their work and advocates for accessibility in the creative sector.
- The company's artistic director, Nadine McKenzie, will participate in a panel discussion on accessible production environments.
- Unmute Dance Theatre is South Africa's only full-time professional inclusive dance company, employing and training artists with disabilities.
