Synopsis
Hard but Fragile was conceptualized through a dream that Thulisile Binda experienced while participating in Season 8 at The Centre for the Less Good Idea, curated by Bongile-Gorata Lecoge Zulu under the theme “Breath Again”. This was during 2021, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a time marked by uncertainty, isolation, and emotional intensity.
Binda became interested in exploring what it means to move through rage and confusion in order to arrive at a place of calm. The work investigates how these emotional states are shaped by both internal and external forces, using embodiment as a primary tool. Central to this exploration is the use of a sjambok, a traditional Southern African whip historically associated with herding, as well as more complex histories of control and discipline. Within the performance, the sjambok is reimagined as a percussive and choreographic instrument.
