Robyn Orlin

Robyn Orlin has been choreographing since 1993, and became famous for her works—which usually have surreal long titles—which bring to the surface the difficult and complex conditions of the South African political reality. She has never been afraid of being provocative, even when there could be repercussions in her homeland.

Born in Johannesburg in 1955, she studied Dance at the London School of Contemporary Dance (1975–1980) and later at the Chicago School of Fine Arts (1990–1993) on a Fulbright Foundation scholarship. Since her return to South Africa, she has never stopped choreographing performances which have used a wide range of media (text, video, artistic interventions) to explore a unique and completely personal language of dance and theatre that reveals the properties of South Africa’s diverse artistic communities.

She has collaborated with artists and ensembles covering every manifestation of the performing arts, from pop groups to traditional music troupes, and classical dancers to breakdance and hip hop groups. Commissioned to create choreographies for Europe’s most important arts institutions as well as for major dance ensembles, she has won multiple awards both in South Africa and internationally.

Some of her best-known works include: “Daddy, I've seen this piece six times before and I still do not know why they're hurting each other” (1999), “When I take off My Skin ...” (2005), “Have you hugged, kissed and respected your brown Venus today?” (2011), “Beauty remained for just a moment then returned gently to her starting position...” (2012), “At the same time we were pointing a finger at you, we realized we were pointing three at ourselves...” (2014).