Robyn Orlin
In South Africa, Robyn Orlin is nicknamed "the permanent irritation." Through her work, she addresses the difficult and complex reality of her country. Her universe is marked by the blending of forms, expressions, and genres. She instils joyful confusion on stage and in the audience with her critical and political character.
Born in 1955 in Johannesburg, Robyn Orlin trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance (1975-1980) and at the Art Institute of Chicago (1990-1995). She began her career as a dancer, choreographer, and educator in South Africa, where she quickly gained recognition for the uniqueness of her writing and the chaos in her creations, as well as for her anti-apartheid activism.
At the turn of the 2000s, her multi-award-winning piece Daddy, I have seen this piece six times before and I still don’t know why they’re hurting each other allowed her to tour Europe and gain international recognition. France subsequently became a territory for her creative endeavors. She experimented with cinema, opera and theatre, and created numerous solo works for performers from diverse backgrounds. Meanwhile, she continued to work in South Africa, especially for the companies ViaKatlehong and Moving into Dance.
Aesthetic, choreographic, musical, cinematic, artistic and literary eclecticism has become one of the prominent features of her work.
Garage Dance Ensemble
Based in Okiep, South Africa, Garage Dance Ensemble is dedicated to contemporary dance and dancer training. The company encourages individuals to express themselves through dance and to develop artistic, technical, and administrative skills.
After leading the contemporary dance company Jazzart Dance Theatre in South Africa, Alfred Hinkel and John Linden founded Garage Dance Ensemble. They aim to challenge social practices and belief systems within South African communities through performance, community-based training, skills development and research.
As a positive force in the Northern Cape region, Garage provides access and exposure to art, substantially contributing to the development and expansion of performing arts in the region and across the country.
uKhoiKhoi
uKhoiKhoi is the result of a collaboration between musician and composer Yogin Sullaphen and singer and artist Anelisa Stuurman. The duo is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and they joined forces in the middle of 2019. Their name is an ode to their shared KhoiSan heritage, the Khoisan tribe being among the earliest inhabitants of Southern Africa.