Project

Coloured Swans
In a world that is increasingly polarized, the landscape seems to be restricted to black and white. But what about the shades of grey, that wide range of colours reflected by the skins of a global majority, that’s nevertheless still labelled as a minority?
People thought her to originate from either Latin America, the US, North Africa or South East Asia. But dancer, performing artist and choreographer Moya Michael was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. Because of her mixed origins she was classified as a ‘Coloured’ person. About 20 years ago she moved to Brussels, but this label has always remained an important part of her identity, both as a person and as an artist.
In Coloured Swans Moya Michael questions how layers of imposed identities change how an artist moves, speaks, sings and what specific spaces their bodies visualize or capture. Moya invites artists from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds to join her in this quest. Together they will share their personal stories in order to confront and intertwine the complexity of their experiences into one overall creation. Each encounter leads to a solo created for and with the artist as one of the swans of Coloured Swans.
COLOURED SWAN 1: KHOISWAN
Moya Michael / Tracey Rose
Together with visual and performance artist Tracey Rose, Moya Michael will explore the common visual images that reflect their ancestries, their histories and where they are today as women of colour and specifically as descendants of the Khoi people.
COLOURED SWAN 2: ELDORADO
Moya Michael / David Hernandez
For the creation of the second solo, Moya will work with dancer, performer and choreographer David Hernandez. Points of departure reference David’s experiences as an American citizen and artist of Latino ancestry and the historic encounters between the Spanish colonialists and the indigenous peoples of Latin America and Mexico.
KHOISWAN
- Concept, performance and choreography: Moya Michael
- In collaboration with: Tracey Rose
- Video & scenography: Tracey Rose, Moya Michael, Špela Tusar, Oscar Cassamajor
- Costumes & Make-up: Povilas Bastys
- Text: Loucka Fagan
- Soundscape & music: Mitsuki Matsumoto & Moya Michael
- Dramaturgical advice: Kitty Kortes Lynch
- Choreographic advice: Igor Shyshko
- Lighting design: Mandla Mtshali & Pier Gallen
- Executive production: Kosmonaut
- Distribution: Cokot / Julie Le Gall & Hanna El Falor
- Coproduction: Dance Umbrella Festival, KVS, Centre For Fine Arts (BOZAR), Vooruit
- With the support of: The Flemish Government Delegation in South Africa, Flemish Community Commission (VGC), Flemish Authorities (VG)
- Special thanks to: Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative, The Goodman Gallery, Zelda Production & Inge Floré, Miek Scheers, Steven Lorie, Patrick Van Neck
ELDORADO
- Concept, performance and choreography: Moya Michael
- In collaboration with and performed by: David Hernandez
- Video & scenography: Moya Michael, Špela Tusar, Oscar Cassamajor
- Costumes: Povilas Bastys
- Soundscape & music: Mitsuki Matsumoto & Moya Michael
- Lighting design: Pier Gallen
- Executive production: Kosmonaut
- Distribution: Cokot / Julie Le Gall & Hanna El Falor
- Coproduction: Dance Umbrella Festival, KVS, Centre For Fine Arts (BOZAR), Vooruit
- With the support of: The Flemish Government Delegation in South Africa, Flemish Community Commission (VGC), Flemish Authorities (VG)
- Special thanks to: Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative, The Goodman Gallery, Zelda Production & Inge Floré, Miek Scheers, Steven Lorie, Patrick Van Neck
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
- Danny Willems
About Moya Michael
Moya Michael is a dancer, performing artist and choreographer born and raised in Johannesburg (SA). Moya currently resides in Brussels (BE) which is her base for creating her own work. She has danced with the likes of Akram Khan, Anne Teresa...