The Dancing in Other Words festival programme is out and it promises to be packed with inspiration! Here it is for your perusal and make sure to visit the website for more information.

Friday, 9 May

2pm to 3.30pm | Spier Old Wine Cellar

Conversation I

Frakaans, Françiques, Arabique: French as voyeur into Arabic, Afrikaans and Wolof

Participating poets are Abdellatif Laâbi from Morocco, Nimrod from Chad and Jabir and Diamil from the Senegalase rap collective Vendredi Slam. The conversation will be moderated by Georges Lory, former director of the Alliance Française in South Africa and acclaimed translator of Gordimer, Krog and Breytenbach.

4pm to 5.30pm | Spier Old Wine Cellar

Conversation II

“Seven years after his death, I saw Celan in his house slippers dancing alone in his bedroom, humming step over step.” In which language did Ilya see Paul Celan dancing?

An in depth discussion on poetry, butterflies and dancing between Homero Aridjis from Mexico, Ilya Kaminsky, originally from Odessa in the Ukraine, now from the USA, and Henning Pieterse from Pretoria. The conversation will be mediated by Dominique Botha.

6pm | Meet at the Spier River Deck for a procession to the Old Wine Cellar

7pm | Spier Old Wine Cellar

Poetry Reading I

Readings by all festival poets: Abdellatif Laâbi, Breyten Breytenbach, Duo Duo, Hans van de Waarsenburg, Henning Pieterse, Homero Aridjis, Ilya Kaminsky, Ingrid de Kok, Mxolisi Nyezwa, Nimrod and Jabir & Diamil of Vendredi Slam. Musical Director: Neo Muyanga.

Cost: R190 per person, includes canapes and a glass of wine

Saturday, 10 May

11am to 12.30pm | Protea Bookshop, Crozier/Andringa Street, Stellenbosch

Conversation III

Imagine Africa

Shaped around the book launch of Imagine Africa 2, Breyten Breytenbach will discuss the curation of the work and how all poetry and prose is a translation from the non-verbal into the imagination via words. Breytenbach will be in conversation with contributors Hans van de Waarsenburg from Holland, Georges Lory, Abdellatif Laâbi and South African poet Louis Esterhuizen.

2pm to 3.30pm | Spier Old Wine Cellar

Conversation IV

Breath as vehicle of Consciousness, Breath as encapsulation of Memory, Breath as aspiration of change: Protest and Poetry.

Chinese poet Duo Duo will be in conversation with composer Neo Muyanga, and South African poets Ingrid de Kok and Mxolisi Nyezwa.

4pm to 5.30pm | Spier Old Wine Cellar

Conversation V

Let’s get serious

An interactive wine blending and tasting workshop with winemakers and poets. Age requirement: 18.

7pm | Spier Old Wine Cellar

Poetry Reading II

Readings by all festival poets: Abdellatif Laâbi, Breyten Breytenbach, Duo Duo, Hans van de Waarsenburg, Henning Pieterse, Homero Aridjis, Ilya Kaminsky, Ingrid de Kok, Mxolisi Nyezwa, Nimrod and Jabir & Diamil of Vendredi Slam. Musical Director: Neo Muyanga.

Cost: R190 per person, includes canapés and a glass of wine.