OYO Dance Troupe Tell Tales On Stage
Spira Tlhankane | Monday April 23, 2018 14:38
Choreographed and directed by Phillipe Talavera Maria the event did not attract a large audience. It followed the story of a young pupil who is forced to leave school to get married. The sections are inspired by a workshop the troupe had with renowned Botswana dancer, Duncan Sebopelo.
The first tale, Thiasus is a modern tale; inspired by the mythical figure of Dionysus and his followers, travelling in processions called Thiasus and recruiting newcomers to join in their celebrations.
Through energetic dances igniting actions, the dancers were able to express how so many young people get pressurised to join in parties, and too often they regret their actions a little too late. The piece was developed in collaboration with dancers from Sweden, the USA, the Netherlands, the UK and Germany. The second tale ‘Bin boy’ addressed the issue of cultural discrimination.
Over 97% of children in Namibia enrol in primary school, but only 67% of San children do. Of those, less than a percent complete high school. Many dropout of school because of the cultural discrimination they face. The piece paid homage to the San culture and looks at the clash between traditions and modernism.
The OYO dance troupe developed a unique repertoire using physical theatre. It appealed to the heart rather than the intellect. OYO is the first, and currently only, dance troupe in Namibia employing dancers as fulltime performers and performed to over 150,000 people in 2017 alone. Internationally, it produced itself in Botswana (Maitisong festival 2016), the UK (on invitation by the Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival, with performances in Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburg and London, 2014 and on invitation by Sadler’s Wells, London, 2009), South Africa (2009, 2011) and Germany (2009).