Cape Town – A Brazilian-Dutch choreographer has shared gems of the industry with six South African dancers during a three-day spectacular.

The Anderson Carvalho Dance and Choreography (ACDC) shared their talent on stage at the launch of the Dance Intersect 2023 at the Joseph Stone Auditorium this week.

The show, The Intimacy of Skin, is led by a crew of six South African dancers and choreographed by a Brazilian-Dutch choreographer, Anderson Carvalho, featuring two works by ACDC and three works by guest companies.

Organisers said the production company would return to SA once a year to continue working with local dancers.

It forms part of Carvalho's vision to create a dance platform which will navigate across companies and countries.

Carvalho said that it would ignite the dance-theatre with three evening performances in different countries with various context.

First-time local participants dazzled the audience between May 18 to May 20, with the intimate pieces allowing them to narrate their childhood stories through movement.

It has been inspired by collaborations with African, European and American continents, among others.

Carvalho said the aim was to afford dancers a platform to grow and explore beyond their comfort zone.

“The Intimacy of Skin offers a fascinating exploration of the many ways in which our skin shapes our lives, experiences and our relationships with others,” he said.

“Skin is emblematic of a lot, from the sensory experiences of touch to the social and historical meanings of skin colour.”

This is music to the ears of the local dancers who said it was a dream come true to see the hard work– started in February – rehearsing at the Kloof coming to life.

It was Anneke Claassen's first gig as a professional dancer.

She said:“It was triggering but yet healing. I wouldn't have ever imagined telling a story of what happened back when I was eight through such intimate moves.

“The performance is more than just a dance and I believe this is a start of a great thing for the local dancers.

“I was fortunate to be part of the start of such a good thing for the local talent, something we'll look forward to each year."

Bianca Rijkmans, another dancer, said the lighting, studio work and the creative techniques were inspiring and a confidence booster for each dancer.

“It is good to see and learn how other nations do things because that's how we're going to improve and see our art growing and be competitive internationally,” she said.

The premiere took place on May 19, 2023, with only invitees rubbing shoulders and today it is open to all from 7.30pm at a cost of R150 per person.

Weekend Argus