UJ & MID’s Joburg Moves Junior creates a new dance platform for young learners.

The University of Johannesburg’s Arts & Culture, a division of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA), in partnership with Moving into Dance (MID), will present the inaugural Joburg Moves Junior on 22 September 2026 at the Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre at the UJ Arts Centre.

As part of an exciting programme for the evening, festival organisers are delighted to welcome the Montreal Steppers, an acclaimed Canadian dance company, who will join the line-up with a special guest performance. Their appearance brings an exciting international dimension to Joburg Moves Junior, giving the participating learners and the audience the chance to experience a different dance tradition alongside the work of the five participating schools.

Brainchild of Head of UJ Arts & Culture Pieter Jacobs and MID CEO Nadia Virasamy, the festival provides Intermediate Phase learners in Grades 4 to 6 with access to high-quality dance training and the opportunity to perform in a professional theatre environment.

Participating learners will be drawn from Greenside Primary School, Melpark Primary School, Saxonwold Primary School, Pinnacle College Linden and Blairgowrie Primary School. In preparation for the festival, the learners will work closely with experienced MID facilitators, developing their dance skills, creativity, confidence and, ability to collaborate.

Through Joburg Moves Junior, UJ Arts & Culture and MID aim to restore an important platform for dance within the school environment and increase opportunities to perform while creating stronger connections between schools, communities, higher education and the professional arts sector.

Extending the Joburg Moves vision

Joburg Moves was originally established as an inclusive platform to support and rebuild Johannesburg’s dance community, encourage collaboration and cultivate an engaged, intergenerational audience for dance.

The Junior’s platform extends this vision by investing in dance participation at an earlier stage. It introduces young learners to professional creative practices while contributing to the development of future dancers and audiences.

The programme forms part of a longer-term commitment to strengthening Johannesburg’s dance ecosystem by creating meaningful opportunities for young people to experience dance not only as a recreational activity, but also as a form of artistic expression, learning and potential professional development.

“Joburg Moves has always been concerned with the long-term sustainability of dance in Johannesburg. If we want a strong and thriving dance sector in the future, we must create opportunities for young people to encounter dance, participate in it and see themselves as part of its future,” says Lakin Morgan-Baatjies, Marketing Manager at UJ Arts & Culture.

“Joburg Moves Junior allows us to begin building that relationship at school level. It creates a space where learners can develop their confidence and creativity while experiencing the discipline, collaboration and excitement of preparing for a professional stage.”

A strategic partnership for dance development The partnership brings together the institutional and production capacity of UJ Arts & Culture and MID’s extensive experience in dance education, artistic development and community engagement.

As one of South Africa’s respected dance development organisations, MID brings professional dance expertise, experienced facilitators, child-centred teaching practices and a strong record of nurturing dance talent.

Through its professional theatre infrastructure, UJ Arts & Culture provides the participating learners with an opportunity to move beyond the classroom and experience the full process of preparing for a public performance.

Together, the partners are developing a collaborative model that connects schools with professional arts practitioners and creates a foundation for sustained participation in dance.

“Moving into Dance believes that access to quality arts education can have a lasting effect on a young person’s development,” says CEO Nadia Virasamy.

“This partnership enables us to work directly with learners in their school environments and support them as they develop the skills and confidence required to take their work onto a professional stage. It is an investment not only in future dancers, but also in creative, expressive and engaged young people.”

Supporting learning beyond the classroom Joburg Moves Junior supports curriculum-aligned arts education while giving learners access to an experience that extends beyond their everyday classroom environment.

The programme encourages:
Creative and artistic expression
Confidence and self-awareness
Discipline and commitment
Collaboration and teamwork
Physical development and coordination
Exposure to professional dance practices
Awareness of possible careers in the arts and creative industries

For many of the participating learners, the festival will provide their first opportunity to perform in a professionally equipped theatre.

By bringing learners onto the UJ campus, the initiative also introduces them to a university environment and encourages them to imagine broader possibilities for their education, creativity and future careers.

The programme reflects UJ’s vision of being “an international university of choice, anchored in Africa and dynamically shaping the future” through its focus on youth development, community engagement, creativity and accessible arts experiences.

Building the next generation

Joburg Moves Junior represents more than a performance opportunity. It is intended to contribute to a longer-term pathway through which schools and learners can participate in Johannesburg’s broader dance community.

The public presentation will celebrate the learners’ development and give families, teachers, peers and members of the wider community an opportunity to support the next generation of dancers and dance audiences.

Date: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
Time: 18:00
Venue: Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre, UJ Arts Centre, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus
Tickets: R100.00

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE – https://www.quicket.co.za/events/379924-joburg-moves-junior#/

Lakin Morgan-Baatjies
lakinmb@uj.ac.za
011 559 1315
University of Johannesburg Arts & Culture
https://arts.uj.ac.za/whats-on/joburg-moves-junior-creates-a-new-dance-platform-for-young-learners/