The performance is a unique collaboration between leading contemporary dancers, Moya Michael of South Africa and Igor Shyshko of Belarus, who met as students in the 1990s at the Performing Arts Research and Training Studios (P.A.R.T.S.) in Belgium.

Burning issues such as institutionalised racism, homophobia and the political upheaval in their respective countries prompted them to create Darling, a gripping dance that challenges audiences to find common ground in diversity and stability.

The piece touches on historic events such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Belarus in 1986, when at the same time, the state of emergency was being extended across South Africa. Within five years, the ANC had been unbanned, while in the northern hemisphere, the Soviet Union was formally being dissolved.

There is no narrative in the hour-long dance piece, which features multiple layers of cultural references featuring elements as diverse as folk dance and toyi-toyi.

The defining elements of Darling are contained in the close-knit relationship between Michael and Shyshko against a soundscape rich in imagery written by talented Slovenian composer, Gasper Piano.

Michael, who was born in Johannesburg, obtained a national diploma in Contemporary and African dance at the Tshwane University in Pretoria. She received a full scholarship to study in Belgium under Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker and toured internationally with the Akram Khan Company for five years.

In 2003 she received the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for dance at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. Since then she has created her own dance pieces - receiving commissions from theatres and festivals in London, Bangalore, Shanghai, Brussels and Johannesburg. She is currently working with Congolese choreographer, Faustin Linyekula. The premiere of this work is scheduled for October.

Shyshko was born in Gomel, Belarus. At the age of 16 he joined the local community cabaret group ZAVTRA. In 1993, he moved to Minsk where he studied at the Belarusian University of Culture, completing majors in contemporary and folk dance.

In 1997, he moved to Belgium to further his studies in contemporary dance at P.A.R.T.S. Since 2010 he has participated in the creation of Minutes Opportunes for the Company Michèle Noiret and continues to tour with this piece. He will be performing with Arco Renz in his latest creation Dust.

The show is produced by Zelda Productions, which co-produced the Geneva Ballet’s highly successful run at Artscape. For Darling they have teamed up with Jazzart to provide transport for their community outreach members to attend the Cape Town performance.

The performance starts at 19:30. Tickets cost R100, while students only pay R60. Bookings can be made by phoning Artscape Dial-a-Seat on 021 421 7695, phoning Computicket on 0861 915 8000, visiting Shoprite and Checkers outlets or logging on to www.computicket.com.

Michael will also lead a five-day contemporary dance workshop for Jazzart dancers from Monday, 25 to Friday, 29 August at the Jazzart Studio.

For more information, email Zelda Productions at i[email protected].

The South African tour of Darling has been made possible thanks to the Delegation of Flanders in South Africa, Dance Umbrella Johannesburg, Crowd Funders of KissKissBankBank, seventyseven vzw, Jazzart and Zelda Productions.

Darling will move to Johannesburg to perform at the Dance Umbrella Festival from Saturday, 6 to Sunday, 7 September.