Arts Orillia is set to present Umsamo, a powerful and immersive performance by award-winning performance-maker Mafa Makhubalo, in a one-night-only staging at the Orillia Opera House on February 27, 2026. The production blends song, drum and dance into a deeply spiritual expression rooted in South African cultural traditions and contemporary storytelling.
Scheduled for 7:00 p.m., Umsamo draws inspiration from Makhubalo’s South African ancestry and his lived experience growing up during Apartheid. The work explores memory, identity and unity through movement and sound, offering audiences both an artistic and cultural experience that reflects on history while emphasizing connection and self-awareness.
“I have a need to share stories,” Makhubalo says. “Umsamo is an African emancipation philosophy and a rite of passage through my performance process that seeks self-awareness.”
Arts Orillia first connected with Makhubalo in 2025 when he participated in the organization’s residency program. According to the organization, his time in Orillia quickly revealed a strong commitment not only to performance, but also to mentorship and community engagement. During his residency, Makhubalo worked closely with Arts Orillia’s co-op students, sharing professional insight into performance-making and the realities of working in theatre.
That emphasis on education and community outreach will continue during his return to Orillia this winter. While in the region, Makhubalo will lead in-class drum and dance workshops for students 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 this programming, Arts Orillia has collaborated with curricular expert Meaghan Wells to develop educational resource materials for teachers and students. The materials explore South African dance and culture across four historical eras: Indigenous Civilizations, European Exploration and Colonization, Apartheid, and Transformation. Arts Orillia says the resources are intended to align with curriculum outcomes while encouraging deeper cultural understanding through the arts.
Makhubalo’s artistic journey began in Sasolburg, South Africa, where he trained professionally in movement, poetry and folk forms grounded in his cultural traditions. He is now based in Toronto, where he is the founder and artistic director of 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. Dance is an invisible evolution that becomes visible through movement, music and singing,” Makhubalo says.
The February 27 performance will open with an address from Alasoba Kelsy Braide, founder of the Orillia & Area Black Community Association, underscoring the event’s focus on cultural dialogue and community connection. Umsamo itself was developed during Arts Orillia’s Dance&Design residency at the Orillia Opera House, a technical theatre residency that provides hands-on training opportunities for young people interested in backstage and production roles.
Arts Orillia notes that its co-op students have been actively involved in the residency, learning how sound, lighting and projection are integrated with live performance. The organization describes the program as a way to expose youth to career pathways in the theatre industry while supporting professional-level productions.
The presentation of Umsamo is delivered in partnership with the City of Orillia and the Orillia & Area Black Community Association, reflecting a collaborative approach to arts programming in the region.
Tickets are available through the Orillia Opera House box office, with prices set at $35 for adults, $32 for seniors, $18 for young adults aged 18 to 20, and $9 for youth 18 and under. Arts Orillia says the event is expected to appeal to a broad audience, from dance and theatre enthusiasts to educators, students and community members interested in global cultural perspectives.
With its combination of performance, education and community partnership, Umsamo marks a significant cultural offering for Orillia, highlighting the role of the performing arts in fostering understanding, reflection and shared experience.
