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ABOUT US
OVERVIEW
Unmute Dance Company is a pioneering inclusive arts organisation that places accessibility, diversity, and creativity at the heart of its work. Our brand reflects our commitment to creating spaces where all bodies and voices are valued, celebrated, and empowered through dance, performance, and collaboration. It is what sets us apart in the arts sector and communicates our vision, values, and promise, not only to audiences and partners, but also to our artists, employees, and the communities we engage with.
WHO ARE WE
Unmute Dance Theatre is a South African integrated dance company founded by Nadine Mckenzie, Themba Mbuli, Andile Vellem, and Mpotseng Shuping. Our mission is to inspire the inclusion of people with disabilities within mainstream society through performances, workshops, and exchange programmes that foster activism, integration, and accessibility. At Unmute Dance Theatre, we believe that disability does not define limitation, every individual is capable, creative, and essential to the building of a more inclusive community.
Since our inception in 2013, with the ground-breaking production Unmute by deaf dancer and choreographer Andile Vellem, the company has grown into a leading force in integrated dance. We bring together artists with and without disabilities to challenge perceptions and redefine the boundaries of performance. By combining Physical Theatre, Contemporary Dance, and Integrated Dance practices, we use art as a platform for social change, breaking down barriers, removing stigma, and amplifying voices that are too often unheard.
Headquartered in Cape Town, Unmute Dance Theatre has created more than ten productions, toured nationally and internationally across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and developed inclusive projects that provide access and meaningful engagement for artists and communities alike. With a vision to be Africa’s leading hub for artists with disabilities, nurturing world-class, professional integrated dancers—we continue to push the conversation forward, proving that inclusion is not only possible, but essential for the future of the arts and society at large.
Since our inception in 2013, with the ground-breaking production Unmute by deaf dancer and choreographer Andile Vellem, the company has grown into a leading force in integrated dance. We bring together artists with and without disabilities to challenge perceptions and redefine the boundaries of performance. By combining Physical Theatre, Contemporary Dance, and Integrated Dance practices, we use art as a platform for social change, breaking down barriers, removing stigma, and amplifying voices that are too often unheard.
Headquartered in Cape Town, Unmute Dance Theatre has created more than ten productions, toured nationally and internationally across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and developed inclusive projects that provide access and meaningful engagement for artists and communities alike. With a vision to be Africa’s leading hub for artists with disabilities, nurturing world-class, professional integrated dancers—we continue to push the conversation forward, proving that inclusion is not only possible, but essential for the future of the arts and society at large.
INCLUSIVE DANCE TRAINING PROGRAM
This is an Inclusive Performing Arts Curriculum that focuses on integrating disability and arts. Young unemployed youth with disability and without disability are scouted around the country to receive full time training from qualified and experienced facilitators within the field of integrated arts. The training focuses on DanceAbility Technique, Sign-Dance Technique (fusion of Sign Language and dance), African Contemporary Dance Technique and Conceptualization course. This program is a three year program of full time training. After the training they have the opportunity to be employed within the company as junior company members, facilitators, professional dancers and future choreographers.
SCHOOLS OUTREACH PROGRAMS
Company’s facilitators work with selected schools each year (schools for the Deaf, Blind, Physical Disabilities, Special Needs and main stream schools), Using performing arts to transfer skills/empower, educate and motivate the youth/pupils, also creating a bridge of integration between the schools/students. The programme is aimed at encouraging the pupils at a young age to break the barriers and stigma that is attached to disability and make them realise that we are all abled and have our own abilities and that no one is confined by physical limitations.
Facilitators visit schools in the Western Cape on a weekly basis and offer dance classes in Inclusive dance. Learners have the opportunity to perform at Unmute ArtsAbility festival at the end of each year. On these platforms they get exposed to performance and theatre and get to showcase what Unmute facilitators work on with them throughout the year and what they’ve learnt during this time.
The programme is aimed at encouraging the pupils at a young age to break the barriers and stigma that is attached to disability and make them realise that we are all abled and have our own abilities and that no one is confined by physical limitations.
• Workshops:
Each year the company visits at least 20 schools around Cape Town to provide free integrated dance workshops to special needs schools and Sign Language Dance skill to main stream schools, reaching at least close to 5000 young people
• Motivational Tour:
As part of the company’s annual school outreach tour, Unmute Dance Company gives free performances and motivational speaking to 20 township based schools (reaching plus/minus 20 000 pupils per year), using this as a disability awareness campaign.
• Performance:
Two Cape Town based schools (1 main-stream school and 1 disability school) get selected to work with company’s facilitators for a period of a year (30 pupils per school, total of 60 pupils). The schools pupils from each school then get mixed together, giving the student an opportunity to integrate through dance
• School Holiday Program:
4 high schools around Cape Town are approached and 2 learners per school is selected to spend the school holidays shadowing the company. During this period they will come to Unmute studios 2 days a week to see what the company does.
Facilitators visit schools in the Western Cape on a weekly basis and offer dance classes in Inclusive dance. Learners have the opportunity to perform at Unmute ArtsAbility festival at the end of each year. On these platforms they get exposed to performance and theatre and get to showcase what Unmute facilitators work on with them throughout the year and what they’ve learnt during this time.
The programme is aimed at encouraging the pupils at a young age to break the barriers and stigma that is attached to disability and make them realise that we are all abled and have our own abilities and that no one is confined by physical limitations.
• Workshops:
Each year the company visits at least 20 schools around Cape Town to provide free integrated dance workshops to special needs schools and Sign Language Dance skill to main stream schools, reaching at least close to 5000 young people
• Motivational Tour:
As part of the company’s annual school outreach tour, Unmute Dance Company gives free performances and motivational speaking to 20 township based schools (reaching plus/minus 20 000 pupils per year), using this as a disability awareness campaign.
• Performance:
Two Cape Town based schools (1 main-stream school and 1 disability school) get selected to work with company’s facilitators for a period of a year (30 pupils per school, total of 60 pupils). The schools pupils from each school then get mixed together, giving the student an opportunity to integrate through dance
• School Holiday Program:
4 high schools around Cape Town are approached and 2 learners per school is selected to spend the school holidays shadowing the company. During this period they will come to Unmute studios 2 days a week to see what the company does.
TESTIMONIALS
Reputation is everything! Click below to see what others have to say about Unmute Dance Theatre.
I love UnMute. This is how it is. They boldly embrace the unspoken things and create a space of belonging with radical, robust and sustained attention.
With fortitude they stay close to what matters: to education projects, to changing minds through moving the body, to showing virtuosity on stage and vitality in spaces that long to emerge but have been habitually silenced.
UnMute continues to do this remarkable feat of impossibility with warmth and delight: they dare dance to its edge leaving the audience with their heart in their mouths - while at the same time - ex-pand that same pulpy heart so that being in their presence is like being part of a family and no longer alone in the world.
UnMute is a rare and true thing with feathers.
With fortitude they stay close to what matters: to education projects, to changing minds through moving the body, to showing virtuosity on stage and vitality in spaces that long to emerge but have been habitually silenced.
UnMute continues to do this remarkable feat of impossibility with warmth and delight: they dare dance to its edge leaving the audience with their heart in their mouths - while at the same time - ex-pand that same pulpy heart so that being in their presence is like being part of a family and no longer alone in the world.
UnMute is a rare and true thing with feathers.
When decided to collaborate with Unmute I was very intrigued how they developed their artistic language and the idea of using sign language and how they transformed sign language into dance, I find a common ground between what their doing and the work I’m doing, and how to invent different languages from a physical departure and they have a lot of experience that inspires me and in an artistic way nd also know how to deal with the difficulties in working in the inclusive work, and how to transform the dance into something really personal and very meaningful. I was also very curious in their openness in working with different people and working with Nadine and that curiosity of working with someone in a wheelchair and its something rare and how these starting points can develop through time and through knowledge as well. I was also very inspired that the company is led by disabled artists and that is something that is very rare too. It gives importance too. Unmute and MonkeyMind found each other in a very specific but also open grounds to discover new material and to put the different aspects of inclusive work on the table, to also challenge the possibilities of making inclusive work in a professional level. Unmute is a very known company around the world, especially in Europe, it has a very important name, it has a different way and approach to inclusive work which is inspiring.
Working with Unmute was a transformative experience for Liverpool Biennial. Their expertise, energy and creativity led to a supportive and exemplary opportunity for the artists with whom they collaborated here in UK. The work created was a beautiful and moving engagement that drew on experiences of all performers and signalled a step-change in the Biennial’s commitment and learning around practice and international solidarities and differences for artists who identify as d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse.
The opportunity to work with performers with such vast and varied experience was a unique and transformative experience for not only our staff, but our participants and audiences as well. Unmute where experts in holding space and providing support to Disabled performers. Their knowledge of their craft and skills along the simple effective teaching methods regarding South African Sign Language allowed us to create a newly commissioned dance piece in a short period of time with people with vastly different access needs.
As organizers of BewegGrund.Das Festival in Bern, Switzerland, we were honored to host Unmute Dance Theatre in 2017 with their powerful piece Ashed.
This first encounter led to a valuable exchange with Artistic Director Nadine McKenzie, which we were able to continue through her collaboration in our Cie BewegGrund production One at a Time..., under the direction of choreographer Alessandro Schiattarella in 2018. In December 2018, we had the pleasure of performing this piece at the Unmute ArtsAbility Festival.
In 2019, Nadine McKenzie participated in our festival once again, engaging in artistic exchange with colleagues and offering thoughtful feedback on her impressions. She moderated audience discussions and shared her extensive experience with other festival directors in Switzerland.
We were, and continue to be, deeply impressed by the highly professional work, the many years of experience of Unmute Dance Theatre, and their nuanced and differentiated approach to dance and disability.
All encounters with Unmute Dance Theatre have been important and enriching experiences for our company. We would wholeheartedly and confidently welcome future collaborations with the company.
This first encounter led to a valuable exchange with Artistic Director Nadine McKenzie, which we were able to continue through her collaboration in our Cie BewegGrund production One at a Time..., under the direction of choreographer Alessandro Schiattarella in 2018. In December 2018, we had the pleasure of performing this piece at the Unmute ArtsAbility Festival.
In 2019, Nadine McKenzie participated in our festival once again, engaging in artistic exchange with colleagues and offering thoughtful feedback on her impressions. She moderated audience discussions and shared her extensive experience with other festival directors in Switzerland.
We were, and continue to be, deeply impressed by the highly professional work, the many years of experience of Unmute Dance Theatre, and their nuanced and differentiated approach to dance and disability.
All encounters with Unmute Dance Theatre have been important and enriching experiences for our company. We would wholeheartedly and confidently welcome future collaborations with the company.
ACHIEVEMENTS
• 13 years of impact:
Established as South Africa’s only full-time professional inclusive dance company, demonstrating sustained leadership in the field.
• ArtsAbility Festival (12 years):
South Africa’s first inclusive arts festival, creating platforms for disabled artists, fostering collaboration, and shifting perceptions of disability and excellence.
• International touring:
Performed in over ten countries with works like Timelapse, contributing to global discourse on inclusive performance.
• Training programme:
A three-year, full-time inclusive dance education initiative integrating disability and the arts, focused on accessibility, critical thinking, and creative development.
• Sign Dance Technique:
Development of an evolving movement language expanding communication and expression in contemporary dance.
• Leadership milestone:
Led by Nadine, one of the only female disabled artistic directors in South Africa heading an inclusive dance company.
Established as South Africa’s only full-time professional inclusive dance company, demonstrating sustained leadership in the field.
• ArtsAbility Festival (12 years):
South Africa’s first inclusive arts festival, creating platforms for disabled artists, fostering collaboration, and shifting perceptions of disability and excellence.
• International touring:
Performed in over ten countries with works like Timelapse, contributing to global discourse on inclusive performance.
• Training programme:
A three-year, full-time inclusive dance education initiative integrating disability and the arts, focused on accessibility, critical thinking, and creative development.
• Sign Dance Technique:
Development of an evolving movement language expanding communication and expression in contemporary dance.
• Leadership milestone:
Led by Nadine, one of the only female disabled artistic directors in South Africa heading an inclusive dance company.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Unmute’s work has been recognised through several notable awards:
• Cultural Affairs Awards (2015/2016)
Best Project Promoting the Involvement of Persons with Disabilities in the Visual, Performing and Literary Arts
• National Arts Festival Standard Bank Ovation Award (2015)
For excellence on the Fringe with the production Unmute
• School Enrichment Awards (2025)
1st Runner-Up: Best Choreography of the Year
2nd Runner-Up: Best Dance Facilitation of the Year
• Cultural Affairs Awards (2015/2016)
Best Project Promoting the Involvement of Persons with Disabilities in the Visual, Performing and Literary Arts
• National Arts Festival Standard Bank Ovation Award (2015)
For excellence on the Fringe with the production Unmute
• School Enrichment Awards (2025)
1st Runner-Up: Best Choreography of the Year
2nd Runner-Up: Best Dance Facilitation of the Year
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS
Festivals that Unmute Dance Company has performed at internationally:
KIADA (South Korea)
IntegrART Circuit (Switzerland)
Wildwuchs Festival (Basel)
ORME Festival (Lugano)
BewegGrund Festival (Bern)
Everybody Festival (Nuremberg)
Grenzgängerfestival (Munich)
Out of the Box Biennale (Geneva)
Festival Des Arts De La Marge (Reunion Island)
No Limits Festival (Berlin)
MonkeyMind (Belgium)
Grenzenlos Kultur Theaterfestival
December Dance (Bruges)
Charleroi danse (Belgium)
STUK (Leuven)
Edinburg Festival Carnival (Scotland)
Liverpool Bienniale (UK)
Proteatr (Moscow Russia)
SOUTH AFRICAN FESTIVALS
Festivals that Unmute Dance Company has performed at locally:
JOMBA
National Arts Festival
Kucheza
My Body My Space
Body Moves - Sibikwa Arts Centre
Infecting The City
