Transcendent

Transcendent: Echoes of the Past

A powerful dance theatre work that awakens memory, identity and ancestral rhythm
The South African State Theatre, in association with Phefum’la Arts, proudly presents Transcendent: Echoes of the Past, a bold and emotionally immersive contemporary African dance theatre production directed and choreographed by Zaza Cala, with Thembi Ngwenya showing strong leadership as Assistant Director.

Set to captivate audiences through movement, emotion and storytelling, Transcendent is a visceral and soul stirring dance experience that explores South Africa’s layered history, not as a distant archive, but as something alive in the body, the land, and the spirit. It invites audiences into an evocative world where dance becomes a vessel for memory, healing and collective remembrance.

At its core, Transcendent reflects on how the past continues to echo in our present through inherited trauma, unspoken stories, and the rhythmic pulse of ancestral identity. The production embraces movement as a language of truth, where gestures, breath show meaning, and silence becomes testimony.

Transcendent emerged from a desire to explore how movement can carry memory, emotion, and identity beyond the confines of words. Each gesture, step, and pause becomes a vessel, holding both pain and possibility. Zaza Cala, Director and Choreographer
A dance production for today Designed for lovers of contemporary dance and theatre, festival audiences, cultural stakeholders, and art enthusiasts seeking immersive performance experiences, Transcendent offers more than entertainment. It creates an intimate space for reflection, conversation and emotional connection.

With a running time of 60 minutes and an age restriction of 10 plus, the production is accessible to youth audiences while remaining deeply resonant for adult viewers.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Production: Transcendent: Echoes of the Past

Genre: Contemporary Dance / Dance Theatre

Duration: 60 minutes

Age Restriction: 10 plus

Venue: Sibusiso Khwinana Theatre, South African State Theatre

Season: 10 to 15 March 2026
Performance Schedule

Tuesday 10 March at 19:00

Wednesday 11 March at 19:00

Thursday 12 March at 19:00

Friday 13 March at 19:00

Saturday 14 March at 15:00 and 19:00

Sunday 15 March at 15:00
Ticket Price: R150

Tickets are available online via Webtickets and at Pick n Pay outlets nationwide.

CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Director and Choreographer: Zaza Cala

Assistant Director: Thembi Ngwenya

Presented by: The South African State Theatre in association with Phefum’la Arts
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Contact: Bongani Nicholas Ngomane

Tel: 072 700 6030

Email: bongani@statetheatre.co.za

BOOKINGS, DIGITAL & SOCIAL MEDIA
Website: www.statetheatre.co.za

General Enquiries: 012 392 4000
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Watch on SAST TV: https://www.statetheatre.co.za/tvchannel/

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Transcendent

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