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NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
“In this incredibly joyful and rhythmic show…you are captivated by the sound, the liveliness of the performers and the colours” – Le Soir
“With humour and virtuosity, the choreographer pays a vibrant tribute to the heroes of her childhood” – Médiapart
ABOUT THE WORK
Robyn Orlin’s We wear our wheels with pride is a vibrant tribute to the rickshaw drivers of South Africa’s past, celebrating their resilience, artistry, and strength. Inspired by Orlin’s childhood memories of Zulu men pulling elaborately decorated rickshaws under apartheid, the piece transforms their movements into a dynamic fusion of dance, song, and theatrical spectacle. Performed by Johannesburg’s renowned Moving into Dance Mophatong (MIDM), the work reconnects with a shared cultural heritage while pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance. Vocalist Anelisa Stuurman (Annalyzer) adds breathtaking depth, blending slam poetry, Khoisan traditions, and modern musical innovations with composer Yogin Sullaphen. Bursting with energy and defiance, We wear our wheels with pride is a visually striking, rhythmically powerful celebration of South African identity and expression.
PRODUCTION GUIDANCE
Strobe and flashing light effects are used during this performance.
Filming of the dancers and audience takes place at this event.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Robyn Orlin was born in 1955 in Johannesburg. Known in South Africa as “the permanent irritation,” through her work she reveals the difficult and complex reality of her country. She combines various artistic expressions (text, video, plastic arts…) to explore a certain theatricality that is reflected in her choreographic vocabulary. Her work includes Daddy, I’ve seen this piece six times before and I still don’t know why they’re hurting each other (1999), which won the Laurence Olivier Award for the Most Outstanding Achievement of the Year, and Beauty remained for just a moment then returned gently to her starting position… (2012), the opening performance of the South African season in France in 2013. In April 2018, Robyn Orlin returned to stage Rameau’s Pygmalion, as resident director at the Dijon Opera, in collaboration with Emmanuelle Haïm as the musical conductor. In co-production with the INA and ARTE, she directed her first film Hidden beauties, dirty histories in October 2004. Robyn Orlin was named Knight of the National Order of Merit (Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite) in 2009 and Knight of Arts and Letters (Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) in 2015.
CREATIVE CREDITS
Choreographer Robyn Orlin
Performed by Moving Into Dance Mophatong dancers Sunnyboy Motau, Oscar Buthelezi, Afikamabiyase Ziqubu, Lesego Dihemo, Sbusiso Gumede and Teboho Letele
Original score written and performed by Yogin Sullaphen and Annalyzer (Anelisa Stuurman)
Video: Eric Perroys
Costumes: Birgit Neppl
Light: Romain de Lagarde
General Manager: Jean-Marc L’Hostis
Tour Manager: Thabo Pule
Stage Manager: Jordan Azincot
Première June 17, 2021, at the Théâtre National de Chaillot (FR)
Production: City Theater & Dance Group, MIDM – Moving into Dance Mophatong and Damien Valette Prod
Coproduction Festival Montpellier Danse (FR) | Tanz im August – HAU Hebbel am Ufer (DE) | Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse (FR) | Le Grand T – Théâtre de Loire-Atlantique (FR) | Charleroi danse – Centre chorégraphique de Wallonie Bruxelles (BE) | Théâtre Garonne – scène européenne (FR) | Château Rouge, scène conventionnée d’Annemasse (FR)
With the support of DRAC Ile-de-France (FR)
Administration, booking: Damien Valette
Coordination: Bertille Zimmermann
These performances are part of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival in New York.
ABOUT DANCE REFLECTIONS
Launched in 2020, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels is a program dedicated to dance, whose main goal is supporting creative artists and institutions linked to the world of choreography. In addition, the initiative stages a festival together with international partners each year: the first events took place in London in March 2022, and in Hong Kong in May 2023. For this US edition, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels is proud to be collaborating with NYU Skirball and other prestigious New York institutions to showcase the wealth of choreographic creation.
The festival’s program is inspired by the three values of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels: creation, transmission and education. Throughout its several weeks, some 10 performances will offer a panorama of international choreographic creation, interspersed with recent works, and pieces from the repertoire that have gone down in the history of contemporary dance.
SUPPORT
This project is made possible in part with support from Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and the Harkness Foundation for Dance.
NYU Skirball’s programs are made possible in part with support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and the Howard Gilman Foundation; Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels; Culture Ireland; The Shubert Foundation; Collins Building Services; General Delegation of the Government of Flanders to the USA; Goethe Institut New York with support from the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation; Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; New England Foundation for the Arts; Harkness Foundation for Dance; and Marta Heflin Foundation; as well as our valued donors through memberships, commissioning, and Allies for Arts Access Fund support.
