A balletic battle of good and evil wages in Sven-Eric Muller’s ‘Aivilo’. A contemporary Namibian ballet starring Tulimelila Shityuwete and West Uarije.
Premiering at the National Theatre of Namibia this Thursday as an extravaganza of 22 dancers, a soundscape by Lize Ehlers and featuring Muller himself as the villainous Vulture, ‘Aivilo’ sees the Cape Town-based Windhoek International Dance Festival and ‘I am John’ star electrifying the local stage after successful stints in ‘Funny Girl’ (2017) and ‘West Side Story’ (2018).
Supported by the National Arts Council of Namibia, ‘Aivilo’ is the culmination of what Muller describes as the right frame of mind meeting the right opportunity.
“’Aivilo’ is about life and its challenges. Curiosity versus caution, love versus desire and, in the end, good versus evil,” says Muller. “Elements of my own experiences inform the characters and their journeys. The rest is just visions and dreams that wake me up in the middle of the night or grab me while I’m driving.”
Muller’s large scale production directorial debut and a step forward in his ambition to be more of a creator, ‘Aivilo’ also marks dancer Shityuwete’s return to the stage after a considerable hiatus.
“My heart burst when I got the call telling me that I had won the lead role. This is a dream role for me, something that I have waited for for a long time and something that I can relate to at such an experiential level,” says Shityuwete, who sees elements of ‘Aivilo”s story as somewhat of a mirror.
“This story eerily reflects my own life and some of the traumas I have faced. Those experiences took me to a very dark place. But those experiences have also forged me into the woman I am today.”
Certain that the core of the story will resonate with many people who have experienced something toxic or abusive in their lives as the ballet finds power, healing and joy amidst this pain, Shityuwete adds that audiences are about to have their minds metaphorically blown.
“’Aivilo’ is something that has never been attempted or achieved in Namibia and Sven-Eric is pushing all of us in the cast to new heights of technique, pace and execution. This is everything I have been hoping for as a dancer.”
High praise echoed by Muller who describes the lead performances by Shityuwete and Uarije as extremely beautiful, dynamic and energetic, the director is also effusive about the score by Ehlers.
“She is the Mother of Bones. Her sound scape is quite electronic. But with exquisite songs that show off her range and agility of her voice.”
A sucker for technique and precision and passionate about understanding movement while finding the emotional undertones that make movements come to life, Muller presents ‘Aivilo’ as a celebration and expansion of ballet.
Described as “a deeply emotional story with showstopping performances”, ‘Aivilo’ premieres at the National Theatre of Namibia this Thursday, 22 November, and runs until Saturday, 24 November. Tickets are available online from EventsToday and at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre.
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