Easily one of the most remarkable pieces we’re going to see in 2023, Dada Masilo’s The Sacrifice over-awed audiences at Wales Millennium Centre this month. Just 60 minutes long, the piece made a profound impact, with many audience members trying to get tickets to see it another time before it moved on to its final two venues in the UK.
A meditation on connection and ritual, the piece blends contemporary ballet with Tswana dance: from Botswana, it’s based on the movements of small animals and used for storytelling and healing. Split into two halves, the first part of the narrative centres on community bonding, and the second on the sacrifice of a young woman, played by Masilo herself. A live band accompanies the show, with opera singer Ann Masina offering vocals throughout.
There are no words to express the energy Masilo brings to her work, both as a dancer and a choreographer. The first half’s group numbers were the most electrifying pieces of dance theatre I’ve ever seen. The community’s movements were fast-paced, sharp and airy, but with a fluidity and synergy that made it impossible to look away. The blend of bright, lively Tswana with aspects of more contemporary, flowing movements created an infectious sense of joy and giddiness that was impossible not to respond to. One little boy in our row was up and dancing too – no one seemed to mind, because the entire moment was about being together.
The second half is no less hypnotic but far heavier. While Masilo suggested in the post-show Q&A that she wanted to focus on the sacred and warm aspects of ritual sacrifice, the fact that historically sacrifice has been an honourable act, this section is undoubtedly harrowing. Beautiful, but harrowing. The pas-de-deux between Masilo and Lwando Dutyulwa is mesmerising and melancholy, a tender moment filled with dread as Masilo’s unnamed character pleads for her life.
The atmosphere then turns sinister as other male members of the cast enter the stage, and Masilo’s character is beaten and attacked. Masilo as the sole woman is even more isolated amongst this cast of male attackers, and the audience feels more dread and fear than acceptance and spirituality as a result. The piece is no less stunning for it, but a very different tone than what was potentially intended. Finally: heartbreak. Ann Masina enters as Masilo’s mother, and wails over the death of her daughter. Her singing is beautiful and heartbreaking, a powerful cry into the void for a child who can never return.
Every single member of this ensemble is incredible, but a number of performers stand out. Masilo herself, of course, is fantastic – her movements fast and precise, her body expressive and full of character. As previously mentioned, Lwando Dutyulwa is a powerful addition to the cast, and his presence is felt whenever he is onstage. Refiloe Mogoje and Eutychia Rakaki are also stunning dancers, a joy to watch whenever they’re onstage. The piece would not be what it is without Ann Masina’s incredible vocal talent, and percussionist Mpho Mothibia deserves a special mention for bringing not just rhythm, but the sounds of nature to the piece.
The Sacrifice was a joy to behold, and it was a privilege to watch such incredible international talent at work. This is hopefully not the last we’ll see of Dada Masilo in Cardiff – judging by the response from the audience, there are a lot of people who’d love to have her back.
The Sacrifice, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Tue 4 Apr
words HARI BERROW
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