Lorin Sookool: “helping me step towards my own unique approach”
South African dancer-choreographer Lorin Sookool received ANT Mobility Funding for her research project Mixed Not Diluted, which explored mixed-raceness in the different contexts of Mozambique and South African in an attempt to find associations beyond skin and towards a common spiritual seeking.
This research informed the creation of a new dance-music work ‘Mulato Sujo?’ with Mozambican dancer/musician Sumalgy Nuro that was performed in South Africa in late 2020. Lorin explains the concept of the work as “a reflection drifting between points that aim to define; sometimes evading them, sometimes absorbing them. It is about connection and disconnection to elements of identity, using both dance and live music composition as modes of expression.”
As a creator, I benefitted hugely from this new experience of directing a work from start to finish without stepping into the performance myself. This project served as a chance to implement approaches and methods of movement-making picked up along the way, helping me step towards my own unique approach – a continuing exploration, I think. It also provided an opportunity to exercise stage managing as well as develop my own abilities of project management and marketing of a work.
The collaboration generated new networks with other Maputo-based artists through the social media activity about the project. There were many conversations happening about mixed-raceness, which I have learned is not a much talked about subject in the arts, or in Mozambique (Maputo, at least) in general. This points to linkages between us as humans despite race and other socially constructed divisions, which was a point of interest within the project. Another mixed-race, female dancer-choreographer who followed the process of the work online, has approached me about exploring this topic together. She is based in Maputo and our conversation has begun.
