NEWS RELEASE 20 March 2003

REMARKABLE DANCE WITH A CHALLENGING MESSAGE COMES TO SOUTH AFRICA

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The Lausanne based Philippe Saire Company is to stage four productions of their highly acclaimed Les Affluents for South African audiences in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Long established as one of Switzerland’s foremost modern dance groups, the Philippe Saire Company has given more than 600 performances in over 100 towns and cities in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Les Affluents is a powerful contemporary choreography of eight dancers that deals with changes that occur in the human psyche after experiencing the transient risks of contact and confrontation in a crowd.

It’s physical, high energy and breathtaking in all its tightly choreographed flowing action. The brisk, bright and precise gestures and actions of the dancers underscore expressions that reflect the sincerity of their purpose.

Brought to this country by the Pro Helvetia, the Arts Council of Switzerland, it is part of a larger cultural programme designed to foster the exchange between Swiss and South African artists all disciplining of art and culture.

“It’s all about opportunity’’ says Pro Helvetia’s Cape Town office spokesperson, Mirjam Asmal. “We want local audiences to be able to see, hear and feel whole new horizons of creative expression they may not otherwise have experienced. By programming Philippe Saire Company in high profile South African festivals as well as placing him in a workshop with local artists, we simultaneously offer them the opportunity to be enriched by South African artistic expressions.

“By assisting some of our undoubtedly highly talented local creative people to gain exposure on a dynamic and critical world stage, we’re in effect also opening a new intellectual gateway for Europeans to share and get a better appreciation of the South African experience.”

“Philippe Saire and his dancers share some profound visual messages that are challenging, thought provoking and very relevant to our changing society in this country.” said Asmal. “I have no doubt that South African audiences and many of our own performing artists will be inspired by the dynamic presentation this outstanding dance group is bringing to our shores.”

REMARKABLE DANCE WITH A CHALLENGING MESSAGE COMES TO SOUTH AFRICA

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Performances are to be staged at the Nelson Mandela Theatre in Johannesburg, on 12 and 13 March and at the Cape Town Festival at the Bellville Civic Centre in Cape Town on 20 and 21 March.

Tickets are available from Computicket.

For more information, please contact the Pro Helvetia office at 021 425 4701 or visit www.pro-helvetia.ch/capetown

E N D S

Issued by Rosemary Hare, Mitchell, Wicomb Public Relations cc

P O Box 12521

MILL STREET

8010

On behalf of The Pro Helvetia Liaison Office

P O Box 563

Cape Town

8000

For further information, please contact Lesley-Ann Erasmus at Rosemary Hare, Mitchell, Wicomb Public Relations on (021) 465-1166 or 082 579 3793.

All news releases produced by Rosemary Hare, Mitchell, Wicomb Public Relations are available on the website www.rosehare.co.za