Maxwell Rani
Maxwell Xolani Rani is the director and founder of Luphiwo African Dance Academy. He holds a Master’s (Mmus) degree in Dance and he is currently a PhD fellow from the University of Cape Town. He is the founder and the creator of the African dance technique called Intsika meaning the “pillar” or the “strengthen”. He is experienced in teaching and choreographing most levels of African dance technique and its contemporary works. He is a convener for the courses which encompasses practical and theoretical studies in African dance pedagogies. Rani has produced, choreographed works and taught in South Africa, Senegal, Mali, Namibia, Gambia, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, London, Brazil, Germany, United States, China, Jamaica, France and Canada to name a few.
He has presented papers in few conferences such as DACI conference (Bahia-Brazil) and Confluences Conferences (Cape Town, South Africa), Edna Manley School of the Arts Jamaica- Kingston Summer School as an invited teacher. Rani is a published scholar and currently a 21st century choreographer in African traditional and African contemporary works. Rani has choreographed for movies such as “Last Face” directed by Sean Penn (USA), Opera works such as “Porgy and Bess”, Interdisciplinary theatrical works like “Ingcwaba Lendoda…” directed by Mandla Mbothwe, choreographed for “UHAMBO 1 & 2” Directed by Mzokuthula Gasa, Rani Directed and choreograph “Decolonising the African Dancing Body” Baxter theatre, recently he choreograph for UNESCO (Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Benin, Gambia,) and Choreograph for Theatre in the Back Yard “Wait…Linda and 35th Miner” Directed by Mhlanguli George, just to name a few…