Applauz Arts Initiative
A Cape Town NGO founded in 2001 by Natalia da Rocha in 1995 while working in the performing arts industry in Gauteng, before relocating to the Western Cape.
An association incorporated under Section 21Reg No. 2006/029578/089, it started as a training program to create opportunities to study the performing arts at a tertiary level.
The aims of the initiative include:
• Providing further training to learners with the talent to become professional performers • Creating jobs and promoting skills development by providing teaching opportunities to senior students • Skills transfer • Creating paid jobs for students by providing performing opportunities on a continuous basis • Creating and growing new audiences for the theatre and the performing arts • Help to inculcate discipline, creativity, self esteem and confidence in children
Later a performing Company was also created, for which the Training Programme is its feeder.
Productions include:
2015 A program of entertainment to celebrate the life of Adam Small, including Adam Small The Man (made up of extracts from his plays) and Adam Small BeJazzed (a 90 minute jazz musical performance of his poetry). Performed on 14 January 2015 in the Artscape Arena Theatre.
