Photo by Lindsey Appolis
About Us
MANACAN is a South African dance company based in London, founded and directed by artists Ciara Baldwin and Nathan Bartman. Together, they choreograph, compose, perform and tour their own productions, creating work that brings together movement, music, physicality and voice.
The name MANACAN combines MANA, meaning “them that give” in KhoeKhoegowab, with CAN, representing Ciara and Nathan. The idea of giving, sharing and connecting lies at the heart of their artistic practice and the work they create.
Their work explores primal themes of human existence through an earthy, physical style deeply influenced by their South African roots. Drawing on African dance, hip-hop and contemporary movement, alongside vocals and original music, they continually learn from different styles, places and people. Their creative process takes them into unique and often vulnerable territories, both physically and spiritually, resulting in work that is raw, expressive and deeply human.
All music is composed and produced by MANACAN, except where otherwise stated.
Alongside their performances, MANACAN regularly delivers workshops and shares its creative tools with people of all ages and abilities. Through movement, musicality and physical exploration, they encourage participants to challenge their perceived limits, discover new possibilities and develop confidence in their own creative expression.
MANACAN has toured internationally, presenting work and collaborating with artists, companies and communities across South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, the United States, Belgium, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom. Their practice extends beyond performance, embracing cultural exchange, education and collaboration as integral parts of their artistic journey.
At the heart of MANACAN is the partnership between Ciara Baldwin and Nathan Bartman, who have been together for 15 years and have spent the past 10 years building and developing the company. Their shared vision and deep creative understanding shape every project, performance and workshop. Working as a team, they bring complementary strengths to their choreography, music and teaching, creating an environment that values both individual expression and collective discovery.
Guided by their belief in the power of unity, Ciara and Nathan continue to explore, create and connect through dance, using movement and music to bring people together across cultures, communities and borders.
The Team
CIARA SOUAD CÉZANNE BALDWIN
Co-director
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NATHAN DORIAN BARTMAN
Co-Director
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Company History
MANACAN is a dance company working across performance, choreography, teaching and international collaboration. Through original creations, international touring, artistic residencies and community engagement, the company shares its repertoire and creative practice with dancers, companies and audiences across the world.
One of MANACAN’s key works, Rooted, was presented at the Baxter Dance Festival in Cape Town in 2017, followed by performances at the 2018 National Schools Festival and Artscape Theatre. In 2018, the work was also performed in Botswana, the HIFA International Festival in Zimbabwe and TAAC Observatory in Cape Town. The company also presented a charity performance at the Kalk Bay Theatre in support of The Tree House. Rooted was subsequently adapted into a dance film directed by Lindsey Appolis.
In 2018, MANACAN travelled to Tanzania to collaborate with MUDA Africa for the first time, creating a new work entitled Petrichor. MUDA Africa presented the work at the 2018 Time2Dance Festival and continues to perform it regularly.
That same year, MANACAN was commissioned by the Baxter Dance Festival to create Sentient Being, which premiered at the festival in October 2018. The work was also presented in a charity performance supporting The Tree House at the Kalk Bay Theatre and was later adapted into a dance film directed by Lindsey Appolis.
In 2019, MANACAN’s international presence continued to grow. The company taught its Rooted repertoire to dancers in Las Vegas and performed at the NEXT@ Martha Graham Festival in New York City, where it was awarded first prize for choreography and performance. Later that year, MANACAN performed Rooted at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco as part of DanceFar, sharing the programme with renowned companies including Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet. The company also presented Sentient Being at Festival Dansen in ’t Park in Belgium and at the Resolution Festival at The Place in London.
A significant part of MANACAN’s ongoing practice is its longstanding relationship with the Gugulethu Ballet Project, a San Francisco-based organisation. MANACAN continues to return to South African communities, spending time teaching, sharing its repertoire and developing dancers’ skills through movement and creative exchange. This ongoing partnership reflects the company’s commitment to making dance accessible and fostering meaningful connections across communities and cultures.
In September 2022, MANACAN created Survive for Jazzart Dance Theatre in South Africa. The work went on to receive the Woordfees Best Performance Award. Since then, MANACAN has shared the work with the Fly Out Company at Vivo Centre in Rome, Italy, and with MUDA Africa in Tanzania in 2024 and 2025.
In 2025, MANACAN continued to expand its international reach through performance, collaboration and the development of new work. The company returned to The Place in London for the Resolution Festival and performed Rooted in Tanzania, continuing to share its repertoire across international borders.
In the same year, MANACAN was commissioned by Jazzart Dance Theatre to create a new full-length work entitled Dark Flock. The production has since toured Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban and continues to be performed and toured.
During 2026, MANACAN deepened its international collaborations and creative exchange. The company brought two dancers from Tanzania and one dancer from Italy to South Africa, where they worked together with Jazzart Dance Theatre to develop an expanded version of Survive, bringing an international group of performers into the work.
The company also undertook artistic residencies in Wales and at 101 Outdoor Arts in the UK, creating space for experimentation, research and the development of new choreographic ideas. At The Place in London, MANACAN was commissioned to take part in Choreodrome, where they have been developing a new solo work scheduled to premiere in 2027.
Looking ahead, 2027 marks MANACAN’s tenth year. The company will begin the year in San Francisco, spending the first three months working with Santa Clara University on a new full-length production. This next chapter continues MANACAN’s commitment to international collaboration, original choreography and the exchange of artistic knowledge across cultures.
Alongside its performances and choreographic commissions, MANACAN continues to teach, compose, collaborate and develop work with artists and dance companies around the world. Through its ongoing partnerships, international projects and community engagement, the company remains committed to exploring new possibilities in dance and creating meaningful connections through movement.
