Domestic workers honoured in dance
Personal piece on role women play
In their latest piece When Dori(s) Takes Her Place, awardwinning dancers Sonia Radebe and Lulu Mlangeni celebrate the role played by domestic workers.
In the dance that opens tonight at the Market Theatre in Newtown, Joburg, the two women celebrate the work done by a maid in raising the children of a madam, their own kids and even sending them to university with the little they earn.
It’s a deeply personal piece about the role of women in family structures, communities and national influence.
As the 2016 Sophie Mgcina Emerging Voice Award winner at the Market Theatre, Radebe is expected to produce a piece for the institution.
The idea of the show began while doing research about the late Sophie Mgcina. She came across a song written by Mgcina titled Madam Please.
“The words Madam Please spoke to me. The piece is a response to the song.
“At first I wanted to call this piece When Sophie Took Her Place, but I had to bring it closer to home. I looked at my family, my aunt Doris was a maid for her whole life.”
Growing up it was a big thing to visit her aunt’s work emakhitshini (in the suburbs).
“We were fascinated by this clean place, with boom gates. To us, my aunt was a hero, she made things happen for us. She even took us to varsity with the money she earned.”
Radebe says she decided to collaborate with Mlangeni, an established choreographer, to make sure the message was well executed.
“Lulu is not playing a different role, but plays the same figure. I was looking for someone who can complement what I’m doing.”
Mlangeni said she has always been a fan of Radebe, the 2017 Standard Bank Young Artist for Dance.
■ When Dori(s) Takes Her Place is on until Sunday.