Yes-Ya-Yebo! is a celebration of the 12 official languages of South Africa, expressed through song and dance, all imbued with a unique township vibe! From the traditional Gumboot Dance and The Click Song to modern hits like Jerusalema, the audience will gain insights into their lives in the township and their aspirations for the future. The performers are eager to share their energy and the joy of their cultures.

Yes-Ya-Yebo! brought to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by The Imibala Trust, received five 5-star reviews in 2023 and coverage from BBC worldwide, UK, and Al-Jazeera. In 2024, the show returned, bigger and better, again, receiving incredible four and five-star reviews. If you missed out the last two years, now is your chance! The cast will be showcasing their vibrant South African culture for the third time in 2025!

The group includes ten dancers and singers, all supported by The Imibala Trust in Somerset West, South Africa. The show promises to be an emotional rollercoaster, making you laugh, cry, and irresistibly drawn to join in the dancing. If you love high-energy shows with emotional depth, you’ll want to come back again and again.

This year round, Yes-Ya-Yebo! is a different show with more dancing, more singing, and even more energy. From the rhythmic acapella beats of the Gum Boot dance, and the soulful Click Song, to the electrifying modern hit Calm Down and the ‘just you try and NOT get up to dance’ joyous hit Jerusalema - all with an exciting TWIST.

This "memorable", "dynamic and vibrant" show fills the stage with "charisma" and "boundless energy, dancing to an upbeat tune of elation". These "natural born performers" "talent was infinitely prevalent" and "this hour was one most definitely well spent". An all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza celebrating South Africa's 12 official languages. All sprinkled with that unique township vibe. "This is a celebration of something much bigger than just a show and will give you a spring in your step when you leave."

Yes-Ya-Yebo! is more than just a show - it will leave you smiling and elated long after the final bow and deeply informed about the lives of these young people. "To be there, to share, to dance, sing and entertain. Singing with no amplification and filling a room, dancing with great joy and filling your heart" "you would be a fool to miss it."

Watch our show in The Ballroom @ The Counting House: 1-11 August 2025 at 17.30pm.

August 7, 2025    One4Review

In the Ballroom at the Counting House — a room more commonly home to stand-ups clutching a COVID Cornetto and monologuing about their surprise ADHD diagnosis — something seismic is stirring.
Yes-Ya-Yebo! isn’t just a show. It’s a statement. A surge of rhythm, resilience, and radiant energy straight out of Cape Town, delivered by a group who’ve battled far more than bad lighting or a dodgy mic. The stage is small, the potential for technical gremlins high, but the South African ensemble handle it all with infectious swagger. It puts the cries of foul from pampered performers into sharp perspective.
The title — meaning “Yes” in three of South Africa’s 12 official languages — says it all. This is an emphatic, multilingual, full-throttle affirmation of identity, culture, and joy. From the opening shout of “Welcome to Cape Town!”, you’re dropped headfirst into a celebration of South African spirit: big voices, bold moves, and a beat that doesn’t quit.
What follows is an hour of township soul and showmanship — a vibrant mix of song, dance, rhythm, colour, and sheer presence. The choreography snaps with precision and personality. The vocals soar. There’s no narrative gimmick, no conceptual padding — just relentless charisma and cultural pride, delivered with a heartbeat you can feel in your chest.
Songs you’ll recognise — Pata Pata, Shosholoza (once sung by miners, now a second national anthem) — stir something deep and patriotic. But it’s what you don’t know that intoxicates: African lullabies, and songs like Kowola Kwela (Police Van) echo with history and life. This isn’t a video-wall production — it’s pure, unadulterated talent. And by the end, they’ve got you dancing in the aisles.
Presented by The Imibala Trust — a charity supporting children from impoverished communities — this is more than performance. It’s opportunity. It’s platform. It’s proof of what can happen when talent meets trust. These aren’t stage-school polishers — they’re natural-born performers, some dancing with their future.
The Free Fringe should be applauded for giving space to a show like this. It’s a celebration, yes — but also a call to arms. Amid the noise of the Fringe machine, here’s a voice that deserves to ring out from every rooftop.
If South Africa has taught us anything, it’s how to rise against adversity. These artists have done just that — showing up, showing out, and making the walls of a tiny ballroom feel like a stadium. Now let’s get them out there, breathing the same air as the big guns.
In any language, say it with us: Yes. Ya. Yebo!, is something real, moving, joyous and a triumph. Click Here For Review