The Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) has opened submissions for the 2026 JOMBA! OPEN HORIZONS Platforms, an integral part of the annual JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience – South Africa’s premiere contemporary dance festival which runs from 27 August to 8 September 2026 in Durban.
In its commitment to present bold, experimental, and inclusive dance, JOMBA! offers the live and digital curated OPEN HORIZONS platforms as an opportunity for dance-makers to showcase new works in a safe, and supportive environment.
JOMBA! DIGITAL OPEN HORIZONS aims to showcase screen-dance and dance film, focussing on work that is created specifically for the screen.
JOMBA! invites submissions (5–10 minutes in length) from local, African and international choreographers that engage the moving body in relation to the camera, editing, framing, and digital space, where choreography extends beyond the stage into cinematic forms.
“We are looking for works conceived as screen-based choreographic experiences, where movement, lens, time, and environment are integral to the making of the film,” explains JOMBA! Artistic Director Lliane Loots.
“We welcome innovative, experimental, and critically engaged practices within the contemporary dance idiom, including interdisciplinary and hybrid forms that push the boundaries of how dance is created, perceived, and circulated in digital space.”
Selected works will be screened publicly on the festival’s YouTube channel as part of the official programme. An award of R2000 is given to a jury-selected “Jury Pick of the Platform.”
JOMBA! LIVE OPEN HORIZONS is a platform offered to live short-form dance works (6–8 minutes). The festival is looking for works that sit within the contemporary dance idiom, that are bold, experimental, and can include interdisciplinary approaches to live performance. Choreographic voices that explore innovation, risk-taking, and fresh perspectives will be at an advantage. “We want performances that can engage audiences in new ways and contribute to the beautifully evolving landscape of African contemporary dance,” says Loots.
An award of R2,500 is given to a jury-selected “Jury Pick of the Platform” work.
Both platforms are not funded, and therefore, no travel or accommodation support is provided.
Festival Director Dr Lliane Loots says: “We remain deeply committed to creating accessible, inclusive spaces for dance makers, the OPEN HORIZONS platforms are vital incubators for boundary-breaking choreographic voices, and provides a solid foundation from which to springboard new works into the world.”
All platforms have limited slots, and the selection process is competitive. Applicants are encouraged to submit their entries early to ensure full consideration.
For more information about JOMBA! go to jomba.ukzn.ac.za
