How in the Salt Desert…

Every year, after the winter rains, thousands of wild daisies bloom on the semi-arid soils of Namaqualand. From this almost impossible image, Robyn Orlin creates a play imbued with Okiep’s untamed joy.

In this former mining town, marked by a century of colonial exploitation, the choreographer crosses paths for the first time with the Garage Dance Ensemble and musicians Yogin Sullaphen and Annalyzer. Together with them, she conceives a piece that refuses to confine them solely to the question of origins. On stage, a mock concert becomes their playground: colorful costumes, live music, videos, and bursts of choreography come together to form a joyful and political ritual of healing. Robyn Orlin does not seek to soften the violence that runs through their history—instead, she counters it with a profusion of gestures, sounds, and images.