JOZI YOUTH DANCE COMPANY present ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Jozi Youth Dance Company’s 2026 season emerges as a bold, imaginative reworking of a timeless story—transforming the familiar world of Alice in Wonderland into a deeply physical, contemporary dance experience. ALICE: A BODY IN WONDERLAND is not simply a retelling, but a reimagining—one that lives through movement, embodiment, and the expressive power of young dancers guided by some of South Africa’s most compelling choreographic voices: Phume Sikhakhane, Tamzin Stone, Milla Oswald, and Jayd Swart.
A Contemporary Wonderland Reimagined
At its heart, this production draws from the essence of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale, but strips it down to something more visceral and immediate. Instead of relying on elaborate dialogue or literal storytelling, the narrative unfolds through the body—through gesture, rhythm, tension, and release.
Alice’s journey becomes a metaphor for transformation: a young person navigating identity, uncertainty, and growth in a world that constantly shifts beneath her feet. The fall down the rabbit hole is no longer just a visual spectacle—it is a physical descent into the unknown, expressed through gravity-defying choreography and fluid transitions between states of being.
Choreographic Collaboration & Creative Vision

What sets this production apart is its true collaborative spirit. Each choreographer brings a distinct voice:
Phume Sikhakhane infuses the work with emotional depth and grounded physicality
Tamzin Stone contributes sharp theatricality and dynamic spatial storytelling
Milla Oswald introduces nuance, texture, and introspective movement language
Jayd Swart adds bold structure and innovative ensemble work
Rather than existing as separate segments, these perspectives intertwine—creating a layered, cohesive world where multiple creative visions coexist. The result is a rich tapestry of movement that mirrors Wonderland itself: unpredictable, surprising, and alive.
The Body as Narrative

In ALICE: A BODY IN WONDERLAND, the body becomes the primary storyteller.
Alice’s shifting size is expressed through spatial relationships and partnering work
The Cheshire Cat appears through fragmented, elusive movement motifs
The Mad Hatter’s tea party becomes a rhythmic, almost chaotic ensemble sequence
The Queen of Hearts emerges through sharp, commanding physicality
The inclusion of a single narrator script anchors the piece, offering audiences—both young and adults a thread to follow while allowing the choreography to remain open, interpretive, and emotionally resonant.
Themes: Growth, Curiosity, and Courage
Beneath its whimsical surface, the production speaks to universal themes:
Identity and change – Who are we when everything around us shifts?
Curiosity as catalyst – The courage to follow the unknown
Power and resistance – Standing tall in the face of chaos
Imagination as survival – Finding meaning through creativity
Alice’s final realization—that Wonderland lives within her—resonates as a powerful message for today’s youth: growth is not linear, and uncertainty is not failure, but transformation.

A Magical Meeting of Youth and Innovation
Jozi Youth Dance Company’s latest season stands as a celebration of youthful energy, artistic risk, and collaborative brilliance. It is a space where emerging performers meet established choreographic voices, where imagination meets discipline, and where a centuries-old story is reborn through contemporary South African expression.
ALICE: A BODY IN WONDERLAND promises not just a performance, but an experience—one that invites audiences to feel, question, and rediscover the magic of curiosity through the language of the body.