COLIN MANDELL

Colin has trained as a dancer and teacher in Ballet (U.C.T. Ballet School) , Flamenco, Latin Ballroom, Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba and Argentine Tango. Colin was a professional ballet, flamenco and contemporary dancer for 25 years, as a soloist in CAPAB Ballet Company, NAPAC Dance Company, Mercedes Molina Dance Theatre, Luisa Cortes Dance Company and is the founder, choreographer and principal dancer in Los Gitanos Dance Company.

He has trained in Cecchetti, Royal Academy, Spanish Dance Society, Allianza, SADTA and the Fred Astaire methods. He has been in numerous TV productions including, CARMEN, DON JUAN and Ken Kirsten’s TANGO, for which he was nominated for an Artes Award.

Colin was the editor-in-chief of ARABESQUE, South Africa’s first and only Ballet magazine, and he was instrumental in developing the ARABESQUE AWARDS. Colin has over the past 30 years, adjudicated and judged numerous Ballet, Flamenco, Argentine and other events and competitions. Colin has taught at Ballet, Flamenco, Salsa and Ballroom Latin Summer Schools in San Diego, California.

For the past 15 years, Colin has been Strategic Director of Africa’s largest event marketing agency and has conceptualised, produced and choreographed many shows for big brands including, SAB Miller, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Yellow Pages, Nigerian Breweries, Safaricom, ABSA Bank and many more.

Colin has been teaching Latin Ballroom for 18 years and is a co-founder and co-owner of The Dance Café, which is now in its 12 th successful year.

Afro Flamenco

There is a strong link between the Moors of North Africa and the South of Spain (in particular Andalucía) where Flamenco is from. Colin will collaborate at Danzibar Festival to deliver an exploratory workshop looking into the intricate flamenco 12/4 rhythms of Alegrias and Bulerias and how the dance is percussion-based with accenting of palmas (clapping) and Zapateado (footwork). The content shows the link between the drumming that is so endemic in Africa and flamenco with a huge emphasis on improvisation and working with the concept of SILENCIO.