Se-Anne Rall|Published
Choreographer and performer Vincent Sekwati Koko Mantsoe is returning to the University of Johannesburg (UJ) with a new dance production exploring identity, ancestry and spirituality.
Mantsoe has been named UJ’s 2026 Artist in Residence for dance. He will present the first rendition of his residency creation, Mpeyane’s Dream/Ipupo, at the UJ Arts Centre on 25 October.
The performance takes place at 3pm at the Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre. It will be a one-performance-only event.
The residency follows the premiere of his work Desert Poems at the UJ Arts Centre in April 2025.
A journey through dreams and ancestry
Mpeyane’s Dream/Ipupo draws on more than three decades of Mantsoe’s creative practice. It revisits elements of his artistic journey and reshapes them for the stage and lecture room.
At the centre of the production is a character struggling to understand who he was. Through dreams, he journeys towards his ancestors, spirits and personal path.
Mantsoe describes the work as an evolving process rather than a finished production.
“This is a development process. There is nothing concrete yet,” he says.
“I am trying to shape it like a dream, to tap into different ideas and see how they come out physically and emotionally.”
The residency gives him space to revisit and refine elements of his earlier work. It is not about simply recreating past productions.
For this piece, Mantsoe is also composing the music and designing the set.
The music draws on isiXhosa sounds. It connects the central character’s dreams to the spiritual world and reflects Mantsoe’s own background.
“The music links to the spirituality, because this is who I am and where I come from,” he says.
“I come from a family of Sangomas. Without that, I would just be creating for the sake of creating.”
Bringing dance into the classroom
Beyond the stage, Mantsoe hopes the production will contribute to higher education.
He sees the work as a case study of his artistic development. Students will be able to explore and interpret his creative process.
The project also continues his investigation into teaching methods informed by sangoma ritual practice.
For Mantsoe, bringing traditional spiritual practices into contemporary performance requires care and understanding.
“These are sacred movements that I am using on stage and in rehearsal,” he says.
“I have to treat them with respect, understanding where they come from and what the implications are.”
The production therefore explores more than movement and choreography. It considers the relationship between cultural heritage, spirituality and artistic expression.
‘It goes beyond entertainment’
Mantsoe hopes the performance will leave audiences with more than an appreciation of dance.
He wants the work to encourage deeper reflection and an emotional response.
“My work is not light. I want to penetrate and go deeper into the core,” he says.
“The ancestors are talking to me in different ways, and I portray that without guilt and without reservation. It goes beyond entertainment. People have to be moved by something higher than themselves.”
Through Mpeyane’s Dream/Ipupo, Mantsoe brings together movement, original music and spiritual influences in a work that reflects his ongoing artistic journey.
How to watch Mpeyane’s Dream/Ipupo
The performance takes place on Sunday, 25 October 2026, at 3pm at the Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre, UJ Arts Centre.
Tickets cost R150 and are available through Quicket.
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