Some participants responses to the project:

“Most sporting events are set up around the idea of winners and losers, and I think Anthea's performance complicates that binary. It shows us that it’s not so straightforward. Walking away a loser is not as simple as being the one who scored the least points. I think she has gained immeasurably from it, but so have we! So in a sense we've all won.”

Maureen de Jager
East Cape Shotokan Ryu Karate

“You know here in Grahamstown we only watch things that are happening in the festival. We are not part of it. When Anthea approached us and told us that this would be part of the festival, meaning that it will be part of the history, it will stay there, it will be in one of the books of festival. We wanted to be a part of that, instead of just watching every year... this is the first time, for all of us.”

Wandile Duruwe
Founder of MARU Football Club

 

 

I’d like to extend a special thanks to Standard Bank for recognizing performance art for the first time in 2013, and for the daunting honour of choosing me as the inaugural recipient of the award. There are many talented young performance artists in South Africa, and I hope that the award for Performance Art becomes a regular feature of the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards.

I have been overwhelmed by the assistance and encouragement I have received from Tony Lancaster, Ismail Mohammed and everyone at the National Arts Festival. I would like to especially recognise the extraordinary kindness and support I’ve received from Nicci Spalding. Many thanks also go to Ryan Burton, Jayne Claire Burden, Kate Axe Davies and Luke Clayton.

Another special mention to everyone at Famous Idea, for all their assistance with publicity and press relations.
Thank you to Brett Bailey for being a sound and inspirational mentor throughout this process.

I would also like to thank Rhodes University Journalism Department for their assistance, and especially my tireless photographers Paul Greenway and Nadine Hutton, and the brilliant young videographers Minette van der Walt and Raphaela Linders, who have documented this journey.

A very big thank you to my truly extraordinary stage manager Matthieu Dasnois, who has gone beyond the call of duty in making the impossible possible, and my multi-talented production team of Lisa Frangs and Dee Ellis, and stage hands Mbulelo Ncolosi and Mari Schultz.

Finally, I would like to thank all the people of the City of Grahamstown who have welcomed me into their halls, their fields, their homes and their lives. It has been a great privilege to learn from them, and get to know them through their passions. I am truly humbled by their generosity and kindness.

I cannot thank all those in Grahamstown who have helped with the staging of this performance, but there are a few names I would like to make special mention of.

Basil and Debbie Mills from SABRE
Chris Terry, my bagpipe instructor
Sibusiso Mkhize, my voice coach
Chris Rafael and Candice Ryan, my ballroom dancing coaches
Andrew Martin and Alisa Lochner, me chess coaches
Jeff Budaza and Siyabonga Dumiso, my soccer coaches
Tanya Poole, Elvis Sinam and Gary Grapentin, my karate coaches

And lastly, to my creative partners Gerard Bester and Gwydion Beynon. They have been my co-conspirators on this mad journey!