Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1482987
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 OCTOBER 2022 4 THEATRE Elderly widow hires young dance instructor in Teatru Salesjan upcoming theatre performance AN elderly widow (Lily Harrison, played by Monica Attard) hires a dance instructor (Michael Minet- ti, played by Joe Azzopardi) to give her six dance lessons at home … just SIX. Coming from very dif- ferent social backgrounds, their rapport is dynamic and antag- onistic at first, soon developing into a rare friendship. This is the premise behind Richard Alfieri's Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, which is being presented by Teat- ru Salesjan this November. In the performance, the two protagonists come from com- pletely different social back- grounds - the widow is conserv- ative and wealthy, and the young man is from an underprivileged Italian immigrant family. The play addresses themes of social differ- ences, ageism, loneliness, and in- tolerance, presenting a journey through overcoming prejudice and supporting each other despite obvious differences. Directed by Irene Christ, this performance is one phase of the Theatre's project 'SIX', an initia- tive with and for the elderly com- munity, which was born within the context of its commitment to being a community theatre 'in the heart of its community'. In fact, as a spin-off of the performance, the Theatre is also hosting SIX Dance Workshops exclusively for individuals aged 60+ in different localities across Malta (Sliema, Birgu, Mellieħa, and Birżebbuġa), facilitated by dance coach Pame- la Kerr and to the music of Niels Plottard. In the performance, the two pro- tagonists come from complete- ly different social backgrounds - the widow is conservative and wealthy, and the young man is from an underprivileged Italian immigrant family. The play ad- dresses themes of social differ- ences, ageism, loneliness, and intolerance, presenting a journey through overcoming prejudice and supporting each other despite obvious differences. Speaking about the project, Tea- tru Salesjan's Artistic Consultant, Rosetta Debattista, said that "this story reminds us of the beau- ty that can exist among the least likely people, if only connections are allowed to breathe and un- fold". Reflecting further, she stat- ed that: "The theatre piece itself inspired the workshops simply because good theatre can move us towards a deeper sense of re- ality, one where conversation and connection can come alive through reflection, laughter and exchange." As Teatru Salesjan in Sliema undergoes renovation, the perfor- mances of 'Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks' will be hosted within the beautiful and intimate setting of Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar on the 11th, 12th, and 13th Novem- ber at 19:30. Special ticket offers are available for senior card hold- ers. The Six Dance Workshops for ages 60+ will take place every Thursday morning between No- vember and December across community and parish halls, with the aim of reaching elderly com- munities in towns and villages across the island. A new dance style will be introduced every week - the Swing, Tango, Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha-Cha, and Contem- porary Dance. No previous ex- perience is required and partic- ipation is against a fee of €6 per workshop. There are limited spaces avail- able for both performances and workshops. Tickets can be pur- chased online from https://www. showshappening.com/ or by call- ing +356 7799 7000. Teatru Salesjan is supported by the ADRC Trust and the BOV Jo- seph Calleja Foundation. SIX is organised with the support of Arts Council Malta, Palazzo Parisio, and The Imperial Hotel. All photos by Darren Zammit Lupi