David Farnor | On 07, Jun 2021

Netflix is getting in the groove this summer with new street dancing drama Jiva! – and a new trailer gives us a close look at the series in action.

It follows the life of the talented street dancer Ntombi. While juggling the demands of a dead end job, family responsibility and a rocky love life, she realises that her dance moves could be her ticket out of her working class neighbourhood in Durban. But first, she must overcome her fears, beat her rivals and sort out the chaos that is her family.

Busisiwe Ntintili, of The Ntintili Factory, is showrunner of the project, who has been behind South Africa’s highest rated TV shows, including the Peabody Award Winning Intersexions, and the box office hit movie Happiness is a Four Letter Word.

Scottnes L. Smith (Hear Me Move, There’s A Bluebird In My Heart, Long Street), Mandla Dube (Kalushi) and Mmambatho Montsho (Emoyeni, Lockdown) will direct, while the cast will be led by breakout star Noxolo Dlamini (Sarafina Stage Production, Isibaya).

See her in action from 24th June, when the series premieres on Netflix worldwide. Here’s the trailer:

 

Jiva! Netflix announces new African original series

7th May 2020

Netflix is heading back to Africa for a new original series, Jiva!.

The fun and energy-packed drama is the latest Netflix production to hail from the continent, with an all-African cast and crew taking it from script to screen. It follows the life of the talented street dancer Ntombi, who while juggling the demands of a dead end job, family responsibility and a rocky love life realises that her dance moves could be her ticket out of her working class neighbourhood in Durban. But first, she must overcome her fears, beat her rivals and sort out the chaos that is her family.

Busisiwe Ntintili, of The Ntintili Factory, is showrunner of the project, who has been behind South Africa’s highest rated TV shows, including the Peabody Award Winning Intersexions, and the box office hit movie Happiness is a Four Letter Word.

Scottnes L. Smith (Hear Me Move, There’s A Bluebird In My Heart, Long Street), Mandla Dube (Kalushi) and Mmambatho Montsho (Emoyeni, Lockdown) will direct, while the cast will be led by breakout star Noxolo Dlamini (Sarafina Stage Production, Isibaya). She will be joined on screen by Candice Modiselle (Generations; The Legacy), Sne Mbatha (So You Think You Can Dance), Stella Dlangalala (Funny People Africa), Zazi Kunene (Pinky Pinky), Anga Makubalo (Generations), Given Stuurman (Shuga), Ntuthuzelo Grootboom (PE’s Finest Dance Crew), Zamani Mbatha (Isithembiso) and veteran actor Tony Kgoroge (Invictus, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom).

Bontle Modiselle, dancer, actor and radio personality, and Tom London, founder of South Africa’s top dance crew Soweto’s Finest, are choreographers for the series. It will be produced by Blue Ice Africa with Busisiwe Ntintili, Adam Friedlander and Tebogo Maila as executive producers.

Here’s the first teaser for the project:

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