Three artists in crisis. Displaced. One defected from Poland in 1981, another in 1987; the third arrived in 1988 to escape political unrest. All began their odyssey by coming to Hamilton.

Little did they know that, little more than 25 years later, they would launch the premiere of a multimedia production that drew raves from a Hamilton audience not exactly known for its interest in contemporary dance. And the excitement has spread to Toronto.

Displacement, the creation of Vitek Wincza, artistic director of the Hamilton Conservatory of the Arts and its Dance Theatre, is a celebration of survival of refugees who have left their homelands. The blended talents of choreographer Robert Glumbek, visual artist Vessna Perunovich and composer Christos Hatzis, in this powerful and disturbing performance, are the talk of the dance world since Displacement opened last Thursday evening at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

Vitek defected at the former Royal Connaught Hotel in 1981; Robert defected in 1987, when he was performing at Hamilton Place; and Vessna landed in 1988 at Hamilton airport to escape unrest in her native Yugoslavia.

All went on to carve out successful achievements -- Vitek in Hamilton, Robert and Vessna in Toronto.

The four performances were sellouts last week with standing ovations. "People who didn't have a chance to see it are asking about it. We could do eight to 10 shows in Toronto because of the response," says a pleased Vitek, who cannot further speculate because he has to apply for a touring grant. The production was sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Council.

He says its success was a beautiful and uplifting surprise for them. "You like to be surprised this way. Not every show connects with people on an emotional and spiritual level, but this did."

He says for many it was their first contemporary dance experience. He was a bit worried about the concept because, "Nobody knew what would happen, it can go one way or another."

For Vessna, a close friend of many in Hamilton's Serbian community, Displacement brought her whole family into the performance. Her husband, Boja Vasic, a videographer, did the photo and video documentation and their daughter, Vanja Vasic, founder and director of Toronto's Alternative Fashion Week, designed the costumes.

Tragedy pushed the family here in 1988. They were thinking of moving elsewhere in Europe because of the political strife. When the mother and daughter of their close friends drowned, the husband joined his mother in Toronto. He called them to follow, comparing Canada to Switzerland for its cleanliness and nice people.

"Little did I know would exhibit at the AGH with two others who landed in the same place," says Vessna.