ACDC Duet Xchange
The ACDC Duet Xchange is a two-day international programme structured around collaborative performance, masterclasses, and competitive duet works. It celebrates the art of duet dance by bringing together local and international choreographers, performers, and creative practitioners.
A cultural convergence of movement and meaning – STAR THEATRE, Homecoming Centre, Cape Town, South Africa | 22 to 23 MAY 2026
Unleashing The Potential of Collaboration
Inspire To Aspire
Festival Programme Info
Day 1: DXCHANGE 1 – Collaborative Platform
Date: Friday, 22 May 2026
Master Class: Enter a dynamic shared learning space where artists share their craft and lead immersive masterclasses, sparking dialogue, collaboration, and global creative exchange.
Opening Night: Launch the celebration with an inspiring evening of guest artists and companies presenting their work, setting the stage for a vibrant artistic journey ahead.
Day 2: DXCHANGE 2 – Performance & Competition Platform
Date: Saturday, 23 May 2026
An electrifying finale featuring bold new works by local guest choreographers and standout artists from our 2026 Open Call. This high-energy performance doubles as a competitive showcase, awarding prizes and spotlighting the next generation of choreographic talent.
Choreographic Xchange
Master Classes
Day 1: DXCHANGE 1 – Collaborative Platform
Choreographic Xchange is a master class experience led by an international master choreographer or a local artist. Moving beyond the teaching of movement or set choreography, this encounter focus on the sharing of creative processes, artistic inquiry, and lived practice.
Rooted in ACDC’s four pillars of Intersection: Connection, Relation, Creation, and Transformation. The Choreographic Xchange invites participants into a space of dialogue, experimentation, and exchange, where ideas, bodies, and perspectives meet to evolve.
This edition is led by Spanish-Dutch master choreographer Marta Reig Torres, offering participants an opportunity to engage deeply with choreographic thinking, exchange ideas, and explore approaches to making and reflecting on dance.
Date: Friday, 22 May 2026
Time: 9am - 5pm
Workshop exclusively for artists participating in the ACDC Duet Xchange, limited to 20 participants.
Venue: Star Theatre, Homecoming Centre, Cape Town, South Africa
Programme & Competition Platform Schedule
Day 1: DXCHANGE 1
Opening Night - Collaborative Platform
Date: Friday, 22 May 2026
Time: 19:00
Featuring Guest Choreographers & Companies:
New World Dance Theatre
Northern Dance Project
Anderson Carvalho Dance & Choreography (ACDC)
Janine Booysens
Day 2: DXCHANGE 2
Performance & Competition Platform
Date: Saturday, 23 May 2026
Time: 19:00
Competition Platform
Abdul – Aaghier Isaacs
Awonke Mtonjana
Mbongeni Moyake
Michael Halim
Nicolas Laubscher
Lusindiso Dibela
Guest Companies
Gain Collective
Oorleef Dance Project
What is ACDC Duet Xchange?
ACDC Duet Xchange is Anderson Carvalho Dance & Choreography’s new innovative collaborative duet performance program. This forward-looking initiative is designed to promote intercultural dialogue through art, dance, choreography, and knowledge exchange.
Core Philosophy & Goals
The Power of the Duet: The program focuses exclusively on the duet, the smallest form of ensemble. This intensifies the artistic dialogue, demands deep trust, and highlights the unique chemistry between two performers.
Cross-Cultural & Interdisciplinary Collaboration: It pairs artists (dancers, choreographers, and often artists from other disciplines like music, visual art, and digital media) from different backgrounds, countries, and artistic languages to create something neither could alone.
Supporting Artists: It functions as a curated platform, providing selected artists with crucial resources they often lack: time, space, a creative framework, professional documentation, and a performance platform.
Why Is It Significant in the Dance World?
Artist-Led Initiative: It's a model of a working artist (Anderson Carvalho) creating opportunities for artists, and peers, filling gaps left by larger institutions.
Global Network Building: It connects local and international artists across borders, building an international community of collaborators.
Innovation Incubator: The focused, low-pressure environment allows for risk-taking and the development of new movement vocabularies and collaborative methods.
Focus on Collaboration: The program champions collaboration as its central creative force, moving beyond the traditional single-choreographer model. The event unfolds in two parts. DXCHANGE 1 serves as a collaborative intersection where local and international artists share the stage and lead master classes. DXCHANGE 2 features guest choreographers in shared performances and offers a competitive platform where selected choreographers from ACDC’s 2026 Open Call vie for awards.
ACDC Duet Xchange
This incredible event is brought to you by Anderson Carvalho Dance & Choreography (ACDC), in partnership with Tristan Finance. We gratefully acknowledge support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tristan Finance, and the Embassy of Spain in South Africa.