Dada Masilo´s The Sacrifice (Das Opfer)

The Dance Factory

The 1913 premiere of Stravinsky's "Le Sacre du Printemps" in Paris was one of the greatest theatrical scandals. Since then, numerous choreographers have dared to tackle this material. During her studies in Brussels, Dada Masilo became familiar with Pina Bausch's legendary "Sacre" choreography. In 2021, she premiered her own version of the rite of spring.
Dada Masilo grew up in Soweto, a township of Johannesburg, South Africa. She has become internationally known for her innovative dance rewritings of classical European ballet. Masilo's dynamic interpretations of "Swan Lake" or "Giselle” open up ballet classics to current political issues: They question gender roles and the representation of homosexuality.
For "The Sacrifice," Masilo and her company have explored the dances and rituals of Botswana. They interweave this unique, highly rhythmic and expressive movement vocabulary with contemporary dance. This combination is Masilo's very own style: It deconstructs European and African stereotypes, breaking away from the original story of the spring sacrifice. Instead, she questions what we sacrifice in our daily lives. Driven by the catchy live music of Tlale Makhene, Ann Masina, Leroy Mapholo, and Nathi Shongwe, Dada Masilo’s "The Sacrifice" is an independent, emotional work of expressive images which she presents together with nine dancers from her Johannesburg ensemble.