The toiling men “seemed to dance, the body floating in the air.”
Controversial South African choreographer Robyn Orlin grew up in apartheid South Africa. The images from her youth are still on her retina. One is the image of the young, black Zulu rickshaws carrying white people through the streets of Durban on their little handcarts.

What struck Robyn most was not so much the exploitation of man by his fellow man in its rawest form, but the dignity of the rickshaws. The rickshaws were dressed to the nines and adorned with plumes, precious stones, pearls and cow horns. It was precisely this beauty that testified to a willpower to cope with the humiliation. These toiling men “appeared to be dancing, the body floating in the air,” says Robyn Orlin. By sharing her memories with a young generation of South African dancers, the choreographer highlights the struggle for dignity and equality that still demands attention. Because today the rickshaws have become a tourist attraction and colonial laws are still being broken.

About Robin Orlin
Robyn Orlin’s performances are on the cutting edge of visual art, performance and dance. She has received many awards worldwide for her stimulating and sometimes witty work, including the prestigious British Laurence Olivier Award. In Johannesburg she founded Orlin’s City Theater and Dance Group. Despite the fact that her performances are often directed against ruling structures and authority, even the National Arts Council is one of her permanent financiers. Robyn Orlin puts society on stage. The audience is often part of her performances. She lives and works in Berlin, although Johannesburg remains her hometown and greatest source of inspiration.

Introduction and discussion (in English)
7 pm, MFzaal introduction [nl] for €3.50. Free for friends of Parkstad Limburg Theaters.
Reservation recommended: T.: +31(0)45-5716607 /

Source : PLT Website