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.
Watch as dance and film converge from 17 to 19 October 2013 at the Wits Theatre, when they present the Re-Visioning Dance Festival, showcasing the latest dance works made specifically for the camera from dancers, choreographers and film producers from across Africa and around the world. Now in its second year, the festival focuses specifically […]
The Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company (JYOC) are collaborating with the Johannesburg Youth Ballet along with popular local artists to present a special shaken-not-stirred blend of music and dance, From Russia With Love, at the Joburg Theatre on 16 and 17 October 2013. Included in the special line-up is SAMA-nominated singer-songwriter, Timothy Moloi (watch him in […]
We’re told that year after year, from the 1980s until the turn of the century, the hugely popular Christmas classic The Nutcracker was always a firm feature on Pretoria’s festive season calendar. That all changed after the closure of The State Theatre Ballet in 2000, and even the subsequent South African Ballet Theatre moved from […]
Cape Town City Ballet have announced their very full and varied festive season programme with three ballets running back-to-back at Artscape from 11 December 2013 to 11 January 2014. The exciting holiday season programme includes a brand new ballet, a variety programme, and a popular favourite. Starting with The Tin Soldier from 11 to 24 […]
What does it take to create a brand new ballet? Robynn Burls visited Joburg Ballet to meet the real fairy godmother godfather working behind the scenes in the company’s recent season of Cinderella. This is what she discovered about the man behind the magic… I extended my hand out as I walked up to meet […]
Cape Town City Ballet will be holding auditions for young girls and boys on Saturday 5 October 2013, where the successful applicants will take part in an exciting new ballet, The Tin Soldier, choreographed by the company’s artistic director, Robin van Wyk. The new ballet will be presented at Artscape from 11 to 24 December […]
You probably won’t know it, but you could already be deep into sleep debt and this silent loan shark is steadily stealing the shine off your performance. Sleep debt is caused by accumulating sleep loss over time and yes, your body does keep score – that late night I-know-I-shouldn’t-but-I’ll-have-it-anyway coffee sets you back at least […]
Coming to both Johannesburg and Cape Town, the newly renamed Joburg Ballet (previously South African Mzansi Ballet) is collaborating with a leading Colombian dance company to bring audiences a showcase of classical and contemporary dance. Starting on 20 September 2013, at the Joburg Theatre, audiences will see new works by South African choreographers – Belinda […]
Coming up on Monday 16 September at 09:30 at the South African Mzansi Ballet Studios, dancers, students and ballet lovers are invited to attend a free choreographic discussion and workshop with Colombian choreographers Marie France Delieuvin, Álvaro Restrepo and SAMB’s artistic director Iain MacDonald. Following a half hour discussion on choreography, there will be a […]
Having recently completed their season of The Sleeping Beauty, Cape Town City Ballet returns to Artscape from 26 to 28 September 2013 with a new production simply titled Pas de Deux, highlighting some of the greatest moments in the classical pas de deux repertoire. Bringing to the stage some of the most popular dances for […]
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A few surprises revealed in Joburg Ballet’s Don Quixote casting
Don Quixote is known to be one of the most lively, big, bold and vibrant ballets, and we should be expecting exciting things from Joburg Ballet who love to snatch every opportunity to show off their virtuoso skills. Don Quixote opens at the Joburg Theatre tonight, 28 August, and runs until 13 September 2015, but […]
Joburg’s leading dancers perform in Ballet Highlights Gala – new format, new venue
For three performances only, Joburg Ballet are visiting a new venue with a shorter one-hour programme at a smaller price-point, aiming to take the best ballet highlights to more people. And with an impressive sounding line-up of popular dance pieces, you might want to take up the opportunity too at the Roodepoort Theatre this weekend […]
Cape Town City Ballet takes Thumbelina to Pietermaritzburg
On 8 and 9 July, the full-length ballet of Thumbelina, a Cape Town City Ballet Youth project, will be on stage at the Hilton College Theatre produced in association with the KZN Midlands Youth Ballet Company. Starring nine principal dancers from the Cape Town City Ballet in the leading roles, and 71 ballet students from […]
Grand classical Russian ballet tour to open in South Africa this week
Having already toured to 36 cities in France since the start of the year, the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre open their South African tour on Wednesday 6 May at Montecasino in Johannesburg performing Giselle, followed by Don Quixote and Swan Lake before they head to Cape Town to perform Swan Lake at Artscape from 19 […]
A few surprises revealed in Joburg Ballet’s Don Quixote casting
Don Quixote is known to be one of the most lively, big, bold and vibrant ballets, and we should be expecting exciting things from Joburg Ballet who love to snatch every opportunity to show off their virtuoso skills. Don Quixote opens at the Joburg Theatre tonight, 28 August, and runs until 13 September 2015, but […]
Joburg’s leading dancers perform in Ballet Highlights Gala – new format, new venue
For three performances only, Joburg Ballet are visiting a new venue with a shorter one-hour programme at a smaller price-point, aiming to take the best ballet highlights to more people. And with an impressive sounding line-up of popular dance pieces, you might want to take up the opportunity too at the Roodepoort Theatre this weekend […]
Video: Is ballet a sport? Are dancers athletes?
In her recent sports and fitness article, Discovery’s online editor, Catherine Davis, asked: Is ballet a sport? And, are ballerinas athletes? To any aspiring and professional dancer, the answers to these questions are painfully obvious. Painful in more ways than one, but sadly only obvious to some. The art and pursuit of making dance look […]