Arts Orillia will present Umsamo, a one-night performance by award-winning artist Mafa Makhubalo, at the Orillia Opera House on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
The production blends song, drum and dance into what Arts Orillia describes as a deeply spiritual work rooted in South African cultural traditions and contemporary storytelling. It draws on Makhubalo's South African ancestry and his experience growing up during Apartheid, exploring memory, identity and unity through movement and sound.
"I have a need to share stories," Makhubalo said in a statement. "Umsamo is an African emancipation philosophy and a rite of passage through my performance process that seeks self-awareness."
School workshops part of return visit
Makhubalo first connected with Arts Orillia in 2025 through the organization's residency program. According to Arts Orillia, his time in the city showed a commitment not only to performance but to mentorship, including work with the organization's co-op students on performance-making and the realities of working in theatre.
That community focus continues during his winter return. While in the region, Makhubalo will lead in-class drum and dance workshops at Regent Park Public School, Lion's Oval Public School, Orillia Secondary School, Eastview Secondary School, Nantyr Shores Secondary School and Notawasaga Pines Secondary School. The workshops are designed to introduce students to movement and rhythm while connecting dance to broader cultural and historical contexts.
To support the programming, Arts Orillia worked with curricular expert Meaghan Wells to develop educational materials for teachers and students. The resources explore South African dance and culture across four historical eras — Indigenous Civilizations, European Exploration and Colonization, Apartheid, and Transformation — and are intended to align with curriculum outcomes, according to Arts Orillia.
Toronto-based artist with roots in Sasolburg
Makhubalo trained professionally in movement, poetry and folk forms in Sasolburg, South Africa. He is now based in Toronto, where he founded Mafa Dance Village, an organization dedicated to preserving and evolving African dance practices.
"Dance is an accumulation of memory and the history of my culture," Makhubalo said in a statement. "Dance is an invisible evolution that becomes visible through movement, music and singing."
The Feb. 27 performance will open with an address from Alasoba Kelsy Braide, founder of the Orillia & Area Black Community Association. Umsamo was developed during Arts Orillia's Dance&Design residency at the Orillia Opera House, a technical theatre residency offering hands-on backstage and production training for young people.
According to Arts Orillia, co-op students have been involved in the residency, learning how sound, lighting and projection integrate with live performance — part of an effort to expose youth to career pathways in theatre while supporting professional productions.
Tickets and details
The presentation is delivered in partnership with the City of Orillia and the Orillia & Area Black Community Association. Tickets are available through the Orillia Opera House box office: $35 for adults, $32 for seniors, $18 for young adults aged 18 to 20, and $9 for youth 18 and under.
