The power of the arts
People from the Denis Hurley Centre were exposed to the power of the arts to entertain, challenge and inspire.
DANCERS treated people at the Denis Hurley Centre (DHC) to an inspiring performance recently.
Director, Raymond Perrier, said it has always been privileged at the DHC to have great support from the vibrant Durban artistic community, and local theatres, concert halls and galleries all regularly host DHC homeless booksellers, a project that is going from strength to strength.
“Our ‘in-house’ theatre-maker Neil Coppen worked closely with us to create plays about drug users and migrant women, and we continue our association with the UKUSA community arts programme in which UKZN Masters music students give free lessons in guitar, singing and music theory at the DHC,” he said.
Perrier said Musa Hlatshwayo, an award-winning choreographer who creates demanding modern dance pieces that touch on deep issues about personal, racial and national identity, and his troupe regularly rehearse in the DHC glass-walled main hall.
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“This means that their beautiful movements can inspire homeless people waiting to see a social worker. The dancers in turn are inspired by the vitality of our community,” he said.
The troupe gave a special performance of their latest piece, Abomhlaba (Thi) recently to a mixed audience of homeless people, refugees, deaf café students, local dance students and the general public. In the Q&A afterwards Musa talked about the importance of artists staying connected to the reality of life on the streets and presenting it to a wider audience.
UKUSA classes resume at the DHC on Saturday, 13 July. Contact the centre if you have guitars or any other kind of instrument you would like to donate for these free classes.
Contact raymond@denishurleycentre.org.
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