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17 October 2024
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Story Precious Shamase
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Photo Supplied
Sibahle Mabaso during her BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Arts (2022) graduation, which she passed cum laude.
Sibahle Mabaso, a talented and driven individual, has been making waves at the University of the Free State (UFS). As a runner-up in the prestigious Siyaphumelela ATD DREAM Scholar programme, Mabaso's dedication and achievements have not gone unnoticed.
A multi-faceted student, Mabaso excelled in both her academic pursuits and extracurricular activities. A graduate of the UFS Drama and Theatre Arts programme, Mabaso's academic pursuits have been as diverse as her interests. She has a BA in Drama and Theatre Arts (2019-2021), a BA Honours in Drama and Theatre Arts (2022), and she is currently pursuing a Master of Arts with specialisation in Gender Studies. Her passion for the arts is evident in her work as a playwright, director, and educator. Mabaso is currently an Assistant Researcher in Transition, Development and Success within the Centre for Teaching and Learning.
Mabaso's journey to academic success has been marked by resilience and perseverance. Despite facing challenges, she has overcome obstacles through hard work, determination, and the support of mentors.
Beyond her academic achievements, Mabaso is committed to giving back to her community. She recently founded a creative enterprise called Wild Geese PTY LTD, which aims to provide opportunities for young creatives. Through her work, Mabaso hopes to inspire and mentor others, sharing her experiences and knowledge to help them reach their full potential.
As Mabaso continues her academic journey and pursues her career goals, her dedication and passion for both her studies and community engagement are sure to inspire others. Her achievements serve as a testament to the power of hard work, resilience, and a commitment to making a positive impact. Looking ahead, Mabaso hopes to continue her academic pursuits and pursue a career in higher education. She is also passionate about giving back to her community and mentoring young people. With her talent, dedication, and unwavering spirit, there is no doubt that Sibahle Mabaso will continue to achieve great things.
I-DENT-I-TIES to shine at the Free State Arts Festival
2016-07-08
Erwin Maas with members of the student cast from the
Qwaqwa Campus. They are, from left: Mpho Xaba,
Lebohang Molefe and Tankiso Mofokeng.
Imagine this: A student cast from a rural campus; Production team consisting of a New York-based Dutch director, a South African screen and stage legend, a The Hague/Vienna-based Dutch theatre designer, and a Vienna-based Serbian performance-craft-artist and designer.
This sounds like a far-fetched flight of the imagination. But it is real and it is called ‘I-DENT-I-TIES’, a large-scale interdisciplinary performance project with international theatre professionals and students from the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus.
According to the director of the project, Erwin Maas, the production explores the ‘dents’ and ‘ties’ of both individual and communal identification and distinctiveness and does this through the famous Basotho story of ‘Moshanyana Sankatana’ as a point of departure.
“We explore questions like ‘what are dents in our society as well as in ourselves’, ‘what ties me to who I really am and who I want to be’, ‘what does it mean to be me’, ‘what does it mean to be South African’,” said Maas, who has been working on this project since last year.
The production also celebrates personal, communal, and universal narratives and identities through song, dance, story-telling, and music. It explores the past, the present, and the future.
“This production will certainly reveal an extraordinary journey into what makes us unique and binds us together,” he added during the rehearsals that started in May at the Qwaqwa Campus.
Maas has teamed up with a well-known South African film and stage legend, Jerry Mofokeng, as consultant. Mofokeng, who introduced Maas to the ‘Sankatana’ story, has featured on a number of critically-acclaimed films that include ‘Cry, The Beloved Country’ as well as the Academy Award-winning ‘Tsotsi’. Maas has also worked with the Hague/Vienna-based Dutch designer Nico de Rooij and Djana Covic, a Vienna-based Serbian designer.
The production is a partnership between the UFS Student Affairs, Vrystaat Arts Festival, the Programme for Innovation in Artform Development, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa. It will premiere at the Free State Arts Festival, held in Bloemfontein from 11 to 16 July 2016. This will be followed by a performance at the Qwaqwa Campus on 19 July 2016.