7 South African dancers on an orange stage

Explore Dada Masilo’s new dance piece The Sacrifice ahead of its UK Premiere

Dance and Circus, News, Dance

In The Rite of Spring the maiden dances herself to death but I wanted something completely different, I wanted the sacrifice to be something beautiful as well.' - Dada Masilo
 


Take a deep dive into Dada Masilo's new contemporary dance piece, The Sacrifice, ahead of its UK premiere here at Brighton Dome on 21 and 22 February. From sacred movements to dance inspired by animals, here's everything you need to know about the show...


 

Award-winning South African choreographer Dada Masilo’s re-imagining of classic works for new audiences has confirmed her reputation as one of the most exciting figures in modern dance. Following internationally acclaimed versions of Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and Giselle, her newest production, The Sacrifice, is her most ambitious dance to date, featuring an original score played live on stage and a cast of eleven spectacular dancers.

 

Drawing inspiration from Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, this is ballet as you’ve never seen it before. Dada revitalises this legendary story of sacrificial dance with a contemporary, feminist twist. Fusing modern dance with the expressive movements of Tswana, the traditional dance of Botswana, The Sacrifice explores ritual and community in all its forms.

 

Watch Dada, her dancers and musicians, explore the music, movement and ritual of The Sacrifice.

 

‘I wanted to explore this idea of the adoration of the earth and culture and ritual and tradition.’- Dada Masilo

Dada Masilo explains how she has updated Stravinsky’s classic story of human sacrifice.

Dada Masilo's The Sacrifice | Brighton Dome | The Story

‘This is a show that is done by dancers and musicians. But the different thing from our show, compared to other shows, is that the musicians and the dancers; we are always together.’- Mpho Mothiba, percussionist. 

When she first heard The Rite of Spring, Dada thought, ‘how can music be so discordant?’ Just as experimental, the music for The Sacrifice has been inspired by Stravinsky’s complex rhythms but is rooted in South Africa and draws on stories of personal loss.

Dada Masilo's The Sacrifice | Brighton Dome | The Music

'There’s little rituals you need to perform before you get on stage' - Thuso Lobeko

From breakfast to sacred rituals, find out what it takes to be part of Dada Masilo’s dance company.

Dada Masilo's The Sacrifice | Brighton Dome | Meet the Dancers

Brighton Dome hosts the UK premiere of The Sacrifice in partnership with Dance Consortium - bringing the best contemporary dance from across the world to local audiences across the UK. It promises to be one of the highlights of the 2023 arts calendar.

Visit the event page to buy your tickets, and for information about concessions and discounts for school and student groups.

Please note: this performance contains partial nudity. Recommended for audiences aged 12+; under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.

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