Dance Consortium Presents the UK Premiere of Dada Masilo's THE SACRIFICE

South African choreographer Dada Masilo's reimagining of Giselle was a huge success on a Dance Consortium tour of the UK in 2019. Next spring, they present her latest work, The Sacrifice, inspired by Pina Bausch's The Rite of Spring and Igor Stravinsky's monumental score.

Born in Soweto, Masilo is fascinated by the study of unfamiliar dance forms and the challenge of fusing them with contemporary dance or classical ballet. She is known for her reinvention of classic stories so they speak to black identity and feminism and mining her cultural background to create her own distinctive choreographic style.

For The Sacrifice, Masilo combines the European heritage of The Rite of Spring with the uniquely rhythmic and expressive movements of Tswana, the traditional dance of Botswana, often used in storytelling and in healing ceremonies. She says: "I wanted to explore ritual, what sacrifice meant to the Tswana people then and what it means now. Narrative is very important to me. I wanted to create a story that is deeper than a chosen maiden dancing herself to death."

An all-South African cast delivers an exhilarating performance where the wrongs of the world can potentially be alleviated through the power of the community. Twelve spectacular dancers hold the stage with their earthy rooted mix of traditional Tswana moves and contemporary dance, performed to an original score composed by the four musicians. The dancers interact throughout, often to humorous effect, with violinist Leroy Mapholo, percussionist Tlale Makhene, pianist Nathi Shongwe and opera and gospel choir singer Ann Masina as a powerful mother/goddess figure. At its heart is the epic struggle of the sacrificial victim, danced by Masilo herself. The Sacrifice questions the evil that humans do to themselves and asks what we have to do to change.

The dancers are Dada Masilo, Julia Burnham, Lehlohonolo Madise, Refiloe Mogoge, Thandiwe Mqokeli, Eutychia Rakaki, Leorate Dibatana, Lwando Dutyulwa, Thuso Lobeko, Songezo Mcilizeli, Steven Mokone and Tshepo Zasekhaya. Costumes are by David Hutt with lighting and projections by Suzette le Sueur. The original soundscore is composed by the musicians themselves.

Dance Consortium is a group of 18 large-scale theatres with a mission to bring the best international dance to stages across the UK and Ireland.

Tour Dates

Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 February at 7.30pm - UK premiere
BRIGHTON Dome
Church St, Brighton BN1 1UE
Tickets: 01273 709709 / https://brightondome.org/

Friday 24 & Saturday 25 February at 7.30pm
Sadler's Wells Theatre, LONDON
Rosebery Ave, London EC1R 4TN
Tickets: 020 7863 8000 / www.sadlerswells.com

Tuesday 28 February & Wednesday 1 March at 7.30pm
Theatre Royal PLYMOUTH
Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 2TR
Tickets: 01752 267222 / www.theatreroyal.com

Friday 3 & Saturday 4 March at 7.30pm
The Marlowe Theatre CANTERBURY
The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS
Tickets: 01227 787787 / www.marlowetheatre.com

Tuesday 7 & Wednesday 8 March at 7.30pm
Mayflower Theatre SOUTHAMPTON
22-26 Commercial Road, Southampton SO15 1GE
Tickets: 023 8071 1811 / www.mayflower.org.uk
On sale from 28 September

Friday 10 & Saturday 11 March at 7.30pm
EDINBURGH Festival Theatre at 7.30pm
13-29 Nicolson St, Edinburgh EH8 9FT
Tickets: 0131 529 6000 / www.capitaltheatres.com

Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 March at 7.30pm
Alhambra Theatre BRADFORD
Morley St, Bradford BD7 1AJ
Tickets: 01274 432000 / www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

Friday 17 & Saturday 18 March at 7.30pm
MILTON KEYNES Theatre
500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ
Tickets: 0333 009 6690 / www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 March at 7.30pm
The Lowry, SALFORD
Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ
Tickets: 0343 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Friday 24 & Saturday 25 March at 7.30pm
Royal Concert Hall NOTTINGHAM
Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND
Tickets: 0115 989 5555 / www.trch.co.uk

Tuesday 28 & Wednesday 29 March at 7.30pm
BIRMINGHAM Hippodrome
Hurst St, Birmingham B5 4TB
Tickets: 0844 338 5000 / www.birminghamhippodrome.com
† 0844 calls will cost 4.5p per minute plus the phone company's access charge

Tuesday 4 & Wednesday 5 April at 7.30pm
Wales Millennium Centre CARDIFF
Bute Place, Cardiff CF10 5AL
Tickets: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk
On sale from 7 October

Friday 7 & Saturday 8 April at 7.30pm
HULL New Theatre
Kingston Square, Hull HU1 3HF
Tickets: 01482 300306 / www.hulltheatres.co.uk
On sale soon

Tuesday 11 & Wednesday 12 April at 7.30pm
Newcastle Theatre Royal
100 Grey St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6BR
Tickets: 0191 232 7010 / www.theatreroyal.co.uk
On sale soon