Internationally revered South African choreographer Gregory Maqoma, brings his latest production, Genesis: The Beginning and End of Time, to Joburg following a world premiere in Cape Town in February. This groundbreaking dance opera fusing dance, poetry and music is running for a limited five shows at Joburg Theatre from 19 to 22 March 2026. Here’s what you need to know.
Genesis interrogates cycles of existences
With Genesis, Maqoma continues to push the boundaries of contemporary dance, offering a poetic and visceral exploration of creation, transformation and the infinite cycle of existence. It draws inspiration from the convictions and ideas of Aimé Césaire, Frantz Fanon, and Steve Biko, as well as the poetic resistance of Nina Simone.
Through a fusion of movement, text, and music, Genesis interrogates how and why history repeats itself, how the shadow of the past threatens to engulf the future, and how we can find strength in that same past to reclaim agency from new avatars of imperial power.
Accompanying him in bringing the Joburg instalment of this groundbreaking narrative to life and merging the worlds of history, myth and literature are poet and fabulist Karthika Naïr, movement-analyst Shanell Winlock-Pailman, the musicians of Ukhoikhoi, and the dancers of Vuyani Dance Theatre, with guidance from music director Nhlanhla Mahlangu.
The production features costumes by Jacques van der Watt (Black Coffee Fashion), lighting design by Oliver Hauser and set design by Willy Cesar. Working alongside long-time collaborator Shannel Winlock-Pailman, Maqoma has challenged and expanded the expressive range of the Vuyani Dance Theatre ensemble, demanding exceptional physicality and performance excellence.
About the choreographer
Gregory Maqoma is the founder and creative director of Vuyani Dance Theatre, established in 1999, and the director of Gregory Maqoma Industries. Renowned for his collaborative vision, he has produced world-class work that has toured to over 100 cities across five continents.
His numerous accolades include the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres awarded by the French Government (2017), World Dance Day Author (2020), Simon Nkoli Feather Award (2022) and the Artfluence Human Rights Champion Award.
In 2024 alone, Maqoma received the Fleur du Cap Encore Award for Exit/Exist, was nominated for an Olivier Award for Broken Chord, and won multiple national honours including the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture’s Creative and Cultural Award for Outstanding Dance Production and the Woordfees Best Performance in Dance.
Audiences are invited to experience the genesis of a new era in performance art and witness Gregory Maqoma’s visionary genius live on stage when Genesis: The Beginning and End of Time takes to the Joburg Theatre stage for a strictly limited season.
How to book
Cost: R200pp to R350pp, book via Webtickets
When: Thursday to Sunday, 19 to 22 March 2026. Thursday and Friday at 7pm; Saturday at 3pm and 8pm; Sunday at 3pm
Where: Mandela Theatre at Joburg Theatre, 163 Civic Blvd, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Website: gregmaqoma.com | joburgtheatre.com
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 011 877 6800
Instagram: @gregmaqoma | @joburgtheatre
Facebook: @gregory.maqoma | @joburgtheatre
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