Robynn Burls

Hi, I'm Robynn, and I'm a student of the potential of the body, the marvels of the mind, and the beauty of it all combined in ballet.

As the editor, BodyMindBallet is where I get to learn, to share and to enjoy this wide world of dance - and with every day I gain an ever richer respect for the athleticism of dance and the skill of performance artistry.

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Robynn Burls's Latest Posts

Starry line-up of dancers announced for International Ballet Gala in Johannesburg

Starry line-up of dancers announced for International Ballet Gala in Johannesburg

| April 29, 2013 | 2 Comments

Covering east, west, north and south, the International Ballet Gala taking place in Johannesburg from 28 to 30 June brings us ballet stars from around the globe, including gold medallists and acclaimed dancers from far-flung regions such as Russia, South Korea, the USA and of course Cuba. I say “of course” because this ballet production […]

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Open auditions for international stage production in China

Open auditions for international stage production in China

| April 10, 2013 | 0 Comments

Screendance Africa have been approached by an international creative team from Los Angeles and China to cast 20 top South African professional dancers in a brand new production to be staged in China later this year. The dance auditions will be held in Cape Town on Friday 12 April at the Dream Factory between 16:00 […]

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Why pro athletes care so much about sleep – and why you should too

Why pro athletes care so much about sleep – and why you should too

| April 9, 2013 | 1 Comment

Did you know that some high performing professional athletes get up to 12 hours sleep a night? Usain Bolt, widely regarded as the fastest sprinter on the planet, gives part of the reason when he says that “sleep is extremely important to me – I need to rest and recover in order for the training […]

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Photos: See the Private Presley action by Bovim Ballet

Photos: See the Private Presley action by Bovim Ballet

| April 4, 2013 | 0 Comments

Bovim Ballet’s toe-tapping, hip-swaying rock ‘n roll ballet Private Presley takes you on a tour of the defining moments and the private liaisons in the life of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock. Set to over 20 of Elvis’ greatest hits, Sean Bovim has Cape Town audiences all shook up with his latest ballet creation. […]

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Dancers, three reasons you need a performance coach

Dancers, three reasons you need a performance coach

| April 4, 2013 | 0 Comments

You trust your dance teachers to guide you to peak physical fitness, but when it comes to your mental fitness, do you have a strategy or are you just winging it? Taking a cue from high-performance sportsmen and women who have realised the importance of a high-performance mental coach, I set out to discover just […]

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Photos: Behind the scenes on the First Position movie

Photos: Behind the scenes on the First Position movie

| March 31, 2013 | 0 Comments

Take a peek at some behind-the-camera action during filming of First Position, the award-winning ballet documentary. We’ve also included some beautiful images from memorable moments in the film, as well as some photo shoot pics too. Five minutes on stage will change their lives forever… To find out more about the movie, the dancers and […]

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First Position movie holds first place in ballet viewers’ hearts

First Position movie holds first place in ballet viewers’ hearts

| March 31, 2013 | 0 Comments

“At least 5000 enter the competition, and then only a couple hundred make it to New York. You have five minutes on stage to prove why you deserve this chance.” These words, heard on the First Position movie, refer to the Youth America Grand Prix finals, one of the world’s most prestigious ballet competitions and […]

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Photos: Don Quixote by South African Mzansi Ballet

Photos: Don Quixote by South African Mzansi Ballet

| March 31, 2013 | 0 Comments

Here is a collection of photos from South African Mzansi Ballet‘s recent production of Don Quixote at the Joburg Theatre in March 2013 (you can read the full review here). Enjoy and Olé! Click on a picture to open the gallery.

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The surprising secret to activating your arches

The surprising secret to activating your arches

| March 30, 2013 | 3 Comments

When a teacher tells a dancer to lift the arches of the foot, you’d think it’s a simple instruction with no room for misinterpretation. Think again. Are you doing it wrong? Following our recent post on arches (Fact or Myth: Do high heels strengthen the foot arch), we’ll show you one surprisingly simple exercise to […]

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Video: TV interview with dancers from Private Presley

Video: TV interview with dancers from Private Presley

| March 28, 2013 | 0 Comments

Here’s a fun interview with four dancers from the cast of Private Presley, appearing on SABC 3’s The Expresso Show. Get an insight into the making of the ballet, the characters, the dress-rehearsal drama (like last-minute injuries, yikes!) and the athleticism required to pull off this show. Bovim Ballet’s Private Presley is on stage at […]

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