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21 June 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Tania Allen
Jerry Mofokeng, Prof Francis Petersen and Prof Nico Luwes
Dr Jerry Mofokeng Wa Makhetha, Prof Francis Petersen and Prof Nico Luwes at a luncheon hosted by the UFS Chancellor, Dr Khotso Mokhele.

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Dr Jerrry Mofokeng Wa Makhetha received an honorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree for his commitment to scholarship and his service to humanity, from the University of the Free State (UFS) on 28 June 2019, during the second last ceremony of the 2019 June Graduations.

“This award will bring credit and honour to the university and endorse his exceptional dedication to the promotion of art, the values and reputation he exhibited in his outstanding career as both a creative artist and as an arts manager,” says Prof Nico Luwes, Head of the UFS Department of Drama and Theatre Arts


Fugard’s The Island a ‘thank you’

For this exceptional honour, Dr Mofokeng, together with Master’s student Charl Henning, agreed to direct and produce Athol Fugard’s play The Island for the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts. “As a sign of goodwill from his side, he decided to offer his talents and direct the play with our department,” says Prof Luwes. 

“Is there a way of linking the theme of The Island with the ethos of the UFS? For me the one aspect that stands out, is the celebration of languages,” says Dr Mofokeng. The play is in the three primary languages of the Free State: English, Sesotho and Afrikaans. Only graduates from the department will be cast, which according to Mofokeng, will “give a professional credence to the training of the department”. 

The play was performed on 27 June 2019 in the Scaena Theatre on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus, and on 1,2 and 6 July 2019 during the Free State Arts Festival also in the kykNet-Scaena Theatre.

Acclaimed actor, academic and writer 

Dr Mofokeng is a world-renowned, respected television and theatre actor. He is also a film writer, academic, and National Arts Administrator. He studied drama at the University of the Witwatersrand and obtained a Master’s Degree in theatre directing at Columbia University in the US. Mofokeng has also starred in a slew of movies and television shows   most notably in the 2005 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film, Tsotsi. He is currently appearing  on the small screen as Neo Mokgethi (Bra Moscow) in e.tv’s Scandal. 





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Anchen Froneman selected for NY post-grad programme
2015-04-29

Anchen Froneman

Anchen Froneman, PhD-student at the UFS Odeion School of Music (OSM), has been accepted into the Modular Certification Programme in Laban Movement Studies at the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies (LIMS), in New York (USA). 

This programme is a postgraduate certificate that is considered the equivalent of a master’s degree programme. Successful completion earns the title of Certified Movement Analyst (CMA).  Anchen’s attendance at the first module of the programme from 1 to 17 June 2015 has been made possible by a Postgraduate Scholarship granted by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.

Participation in the CMA Programme stems from her multidisciplinary doctoral research project as well as a personal interest in the ways that body movement contributes to a holistic musical performance.  In her research project, she investigates the application of Laban Movement Studies to obtaining embodied, integrative piano performances.  Laban Movement Studies is an approach whereby both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of body movement is analysed, codified, and developed, using specific considerations. This somatic approach uses a framework based on the personal uniqueness and complexity embedded in human movement, explaining and developing the organisation of the body, the position and relation of the body to itself, space, and other objects as well as the dynamic range of body movement. 

CMAs contribute to various areas of human development, including leadership development, cross-cultural communications and management, interpersonal skills and conflict management, team development, self-awareness and performance improvement, performing arts as well  as movement therapies.

Anchen uses the foundation of the Laban approach in her hypothesis that the development of both functional and expressive movement will enhance musical performance.  She also centres this on the literature findings on body movement in the disciplines of music performance, neuroscience, psychology, and physiology. With this project, she aims to make a scholarly contribution towards raising awareness of the importance of integrating functional and expressive movements in performance.

Anchen completed her previous music qualifications at the OSM.

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