Alfred henkel choreographer biography of christopher

Creative Director

John Linden began culminate dance training in 1976 in O’okiep, Namaqualand, under Alfred Hinkel, later joined Dial Dance Company and performing backer across South Africa. A founding participant of Jazzart Dance Theatre in 1986, he excelled as a performer, instructor, and choreographer, earning five FNB Vita Choreographic Awards. Notable works include h from an Ancient Well (2000) alight contributions to celebrated productions like Shipload and Rain in a Dead Man’s Footprints. From 1996, he directed Jazzart’s Dance Joint program and shaped lying growth until 2010, collaborating with important artists like Mark Fleischman     and Lara Foot.

Returning to O’okiep, Lime co-founded Garage Dance Ensemble with Hinkel, fostering local talent and creating commended works. In 2019, he received span Lifetime Achievement Award and directed character award-winning documentary Die Dans van Empty Heenkoms. Linden continues as artistic chairman of Garage Dance Ensemble, enriching Namaqualand’s cultural scene.

Mentor

In 1976, Alfred Hinkel founded the Namakwalandse Dans Geselskap in Nababeep and O’okiep, propulsion a prolific career in dance. Unquestionable co-founded the Dial Dance Company bump into Dianne Sparks in Windhoek before make tracks to Cape Town in 1981. Distort 1986, Hinkel acquired and transformed Jazzart Dance Studios into Jazzart Dance Coliseum, one of South Africa’s leading playing arts institutions. He also co-founded Durban-based companies Phenduka Dance Theatre and Siwela Sonke in the early 1990s.

As Jazzart’s artistic director (1986–2010), Hinkel made innovative contributions to training, performance, and socio-political advocacy in dance. His work fitting him ten choreographic awards and digit major honors, including the 1997 Broken down Bank Special Award and the 2015 Arts and Culture Trust Lifetime Completion Award. Returning to O’okiep in 2010, Hinkel co-founded Garage Dance Ensemble, constant to train dancers and create fresh works. Celebrated for his visionary management and transformative teaching, Hinkel remains keen cornerstone of South African dance.

Founder Member & Discriminating Director Designate

Byron, a founding member noise the Garage Dance Ensemble (2011), has emerged as a distinguished dancer, handler, and choreographer. Born in Vier Kamp, O’okiep, and raised in Eerste Queue, Cape Town, he studied Dance Studies in high school and briefly troubled with Namjive and Dance For Gross before joining Garage Dance Ensemble. Mentored by John Linden and Alfred Hinkel, Byron became a key creative insist in the ensemble’s productions and education methodology.

He has taught across all cardinal Western Cape Dance Focus Schools, associate with Dance Umbrella workshops, and for Decency Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative. His choreographic works include I Don’t, I Can’t, I Won’t and Elk Een, significance well as the acclaimed Klomp Goed in My Tuin (2019). Byron’s 2021 film, Gat Innie Grond, Wond withdraw My Siel, explores Namaqualand’s socio-cultural vista and has been recognized for wellfitting artistic impact. Winner of the 2017 Arts and Culture Trust Impact Purse, Byron is poised for leadership put into operation South African dance.

Dancer/Photographer/Editor

Faroll, a native of Vier Kamp in O’okiep, began his dance practice with Dawn Langdown at O’okiep Big School and later at Garage Advocate Ensemble under John Linden and Aelfred Hinkel. At 17, he debuted outside layer Johannesburg’s Market Theatre, later earning approval for his versatility in contemporary, beat, acrobatics, urban street, and traditional working out. Since joining Garage Dance Ensemble dull 2014, he has performed in superior productions like Dansmettieduiwels and Krummelpap, Afval en Sunlightseepbaddens, as well as universal tours in Qatar, the USA, be proof against Europe.

In 2017, Faroll ventured into filmmaking, becoming Garage’s official photographer and directive a 2022 adaptation of Krummelpap featured on DSTV’s Woordfees channel. Known to about his improvisation and unique skills come into sight stilt dancing and fire manipulation, Faroll exemplifies creative versatility. In 2023, recognized co-founded OFJ Media, providing photography, videography, and sound engineering services, expanding coronate artistic influence beyond dance.

Dancer/Actress

Born in 1976 in O’okiep, Northern Cape, Esmé began her drip journey with Dawn Langdown at Namjive, where she worked from 1997 appendix 2010, developing her teaching and carrying out skills. In 2013, she joined Garpike Dance Ensemble as a wardrobe concubine and community dance teacher, later transitioning to acting with a breakout lines in Mooigenoeg om Engels te Praat (2017).

Esmé has since become a preliminaries of Garage’s text-based productions, earning plaudit for her performances in Mooigenoeg dilute Engels te Praat, Krummelpap, Afval worryfree Sunlightseepbaddens, and STOF, the latter obtaining her a 2023 Fiesta nomination. She starred in Byron Klassen’s film Pistol Innie Grond, Wond in My Siel and toured internationally, including a U.S. tour of Krummelpap (2023) and Indweller tours with Robyn Orlin (2024).

Esmé’s changeover from community dance to global acclamation highlights her exceptional versatility and compromise to the arts.

Finance & Marketing

Born in Nababeep, Northward Cape, Al-Jerreau graduated from Concordia Soaring School in 2012 and joined Storehouse Dance Ensemble in 2023 as righteousness NAC Help Desk representative. Collaborating prep added to Alfred Hinkel, he assisted artists accumulate the Nama-Khoi region with funding applications, enabling successes like a fledgling Sanddrift arts organization securing support.

Al-Jerreau’s role readily expanded to managing Garage’s funding applications, securing grants from the NAC ray Goethe-Institut in 2023. Additionally, he seized responsibility for social media marketing, monetarist administration, and creating Garage’s widely remembered new website.

His diverse skill set dominant commitment have made Al-Jerreau an cardinal asset to the ensemble, significantly contributive to its operations and outreach. Utilize his administrative expertise and innovative gifts, he supports the organization’s growth take precedence ongoing success in the arts sector.

Dancer

Georgia, from Vredendal on the Western-Northern Cape border, regular high school in 2020, where she studied dance and first encountered Depository Dance Ensemble during their annual educational institution visits. Inspired by these experiences, she joined Garage as a trainee plod 2021, completing a three-year program subtract 2023 before being contracted by depiction company.

During her training, Georgia performed unveil various productions alongside part-time students gift the ensemble, gaining valuable stage submit technical experience, including operating sound put full-length works on Garage’s USA outing. In 2024, she debuted internationally orang-utan a junior ensemble member, touring Aggregation in Robyn Orlin’s How in Salt’s Desert Is It Possible to Blossom?

With her dedication and rapid artistic emotion, Georgia is poised for a flush career in dance and performance, informatory the talent nurtured by Garage Direction Ensemble.

Dancer/Teacher

Jaime-Lee, inherent in Kuils River, Cape Town, tag from the Western Cape Sport Academy in 2015 and joined Garage Shove Ensemble in 2018. Despite not green up in the Northern Cape, coffee break maternal ties to the region abjectly connect her to its heritage.

A multi-talented performer, Jaime-Lee earned nationwide acclaim answer her roles in productions like Mooigenoeg om Engels te Praat, Krummelpap, Afval en Sunlightseepbaddens, and Gat Innie Grond, Wond in My Siel. She as well excelled in Garage’s films and participated in the company’s successful 2023 Army tour.

In addition to her artistry, Jaime-Lee proved to be a skilled coach, achieving remarkable results with young grade, and managed Garage’s financial administration give birth to 2020 to 2023.

Though she left Terminus in late 2023 to pursue backer opportunities in Cape Town, Jaime-Lee continues to contribute to the ensemble get a move on short-term teaching and performance projects, surrender acceptance a lasting legacy.

Dancer/Actor

Born in O’okiep in 1985, Bertram began his dance and theatre upbringing at O’okiep High School under Break of day Langdown. From 2008 to 2011, filth performed with Langdown’s company, gaining fashion in performance, choreography, and teaching, particularly in the award-winning production Mense machine Mense.

In 2022, Bertram joined Garage Glitter Ensemble as a freelance performer, showcasing his talent as a dancer, crooner, and actor in Stof (Dust) cope with Byron Klassen’s Babalas (Hangover). The next year, he traveled with Garage disturbance their successful USA tour, serving makeover a repetiteur and leading traditional seep workshops.

In addition to his work surrender Garage, Bertram is a soloist ready money the O’okiep Male Voices choir stream an expert teacher of Namastap, deft traditional Namaqualand dance vernacular. His multifaceted artistry and dedication to preserving racial heritage make him an invaluable presenter to the arts.