What happens when we pause long enough to listen to the voice within us?
This spring, audiences are invited to explore that question through SABELA UYABIZWA – Listen, You Are Called, the latest production presented by Versatile Youth Company and choreographed, directed by award-winning dance artist-director, Top 53 BASA Debut Programme 2026 Graduate and Western Cape Cultural Affairs Awards 2026 as a young artist , Thimna “Tee” Sitokisi.
Bringing together dance, theatre and singing, Sabela Uyabizwa offers more than a performance. It is an immersive exploration of identity, spirituality, culture and the powerful connections between people, their roots and the world around them. At the centre of the production are the words Sabela (Listen) and Uyabizwa (You Are Called). Together, they create an invitation to audiences to slow down, reflect and consider the voices that call us towards purpose, belonging and self-discovery.
Drawing inspiration from the four elements, Water, Fire, Wind and Earth — Sitokisi uses movement and performance to explore themes of life, transformation, strength, healing and belonging. Each element becomes part of a larger conversation about where we come from, what shapes us and how we respond when we hear the call to become who we are meant to be. Rooted in spirituality, traditionalism and ancestral connection, Sabela Uyabizwa celebrates gratitude, blessings, identity and joy while creating space for audiences to reconnect with cultural knowledge and deeper questions about life.
For Versatile Youth Company, the production also demonstrates the important role that young artists and multidisciplinary productions continue to play in keeping cultural expression alive. By bringing together different performance disciplines, Sabela Uyabizwa creates an experience that can speak to audiences across generations while celebrating the richness of African storytelling and perhaps its most powerful message is its simplest: before we can answer the call, we must first learn to listen.
Best of all, audiences can experience Sabela Uyabizwa FREE of charge, with donations welcomed at the door to contribute towards supporting future productions and the continued development of creative work. For audiences looking for an experience that combines movement, storytelling, music, culture and reflection, Sabela Uyabizwa is an invitation worth accepting.
For event organisers, arts institutions, brands and organisations looking to create meaningful cultural experiences, productions such as this also demonstrate the growing opportunities within South Africa’s live creative and performance sector.
SABELA UYABIZWA – Listen, You Are Called
Presented by Versatile Youth Company
Choreographed and directed by Thimna “Tee” Sitokisi
A multi-genre production featuring dance, theatre and singing
FREE ENTRY | Donations welcomed at the door
Sometimes the greatest invitation isn’t to speak, It is simply to listen.
