Dance pioneers and veteran activists Sylvia Glasser, founder of Moving Into Dance Mophatong, and arts administrator Maria Kint, ex-Moving Into Dance and founding director of the Cultural Development Trust, have been made Knights in the Order of Oranje-Nassau.
The royal order bestowed on these Joburgers by his majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands was presented at a ceremony at the Ramolao Makhene Theatre on April 24 by Dutch ambassador André Haspels.
The awards were made in the 20th anniversary of democracy year “to honour people who played an important role in bringing democracy to South Africa in their own way”, the ambassador said.
Glasser was recognised for training and bringing together black and white dancers during apartheid “under difficult circumstances”.
Maria Kint was honoured by the land of her birth for her cultural entrepreneurship, her role as a senior operative in Operation Vula (the underground operation launched by the ANC in 1986) and her extensive work in the anti-apartheid movement. – Adrienne Sichel