Young South African star-in-the-making, Leroy Mokgatle, gets invited to perform in Stars of American Ballet at Montecasino. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Thanks to enthusiastic demand for tickets for this weekend’s performances of Stars of American Ballet, additional seats in the balconies at Montecasino’s Teatro in Johannesburg have been opened.

It’s the first event of its kind in over 30 years where such a group of outstanding American ballet dancers will perform in South Africa, representing New York City Ballet and other leading companies in the Americas. There are five performances only, taking place on Friday 20 June 2014 at 8pm; Saturday 21 June at 3pm and 8pm; and Sunday 22 June at 11am and 3pm. See further booking details below.

Two SA-based dancers get added to the line-up

For all those who followed the exciting South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC) in February this year, you’ll be happy to know that audience-favourite, 14-year-old Leroy Mokgatle has been invited to perform at this weekend’s Stars of American Ballet, as well as at Stars of American Ballet in the Bush in aid of rhino conservation, taking place at Legend Golf and Safari Resort in Limpopo Province on 23 and 24 June.

Audiences will see his solo from Satanella, which helped him win the SAIBC silver medal in Cape Town in February, as well as a bronze medal at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) in New York in April. This youngster, who trains with Art of Motion in Johannesburg, makes for an inspiring example of the future of home-grown ballet talent in South Africa.

Kitty Phetla rehearsing Nikiya’s Lament at Montecasino ahead of the Stars of American Ballet galas. Photo by Bill Zurich

The second South African dancer invited to perform alongside the Americans is Kitty Phetla from Joburg Ballet. As one of South Africa’s first professional black ballerinas, she has become a major role model for thousands of young aspiring South Africans.

Kitty Phetla has also become known as a talented choreographer and contemporary dancer, but for this weekend, she will perform Nikiya’s Lament from the Russian classic, La Bayadère, offering audiences a short highlight from the upcoming full-scale ballet production of La Bayadère by Joburg Ballet at the Joburg Theatre in September.

Click here for more stories and information behind the Stars of American Ballet gala performances, or follow these booking details to get your seats while you still can – there won’t be many left!

Booking Details:

Dates: 20 June 2014 at 8pm; 21 June 2014 at 3pm and 8pm; 22 June at 11am and 3pm.
Venue: The Teatro at Montecasino, Johannesburg
Tickets: from R150 to R420 via Computicket.

Back row, left to right: Seung Yeon Yang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Xu Jing Kun, Fu Yi Yang, Francois Llorente Nunez, Javier Monier, Rafael Quenedit Castro, Ramiro Samon, Mthuthuzeli November, Ga Yeon Jung.
Front row: Byul Yun, Yu Hang, Leroy Mokgatle, Lou Spichtig, Gabrielle Chock, Julia Conway.
Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing

In a breathtaking and sometimes eye-popping display of talent, technique, strength and agility, 70 dancers from the ages of 11 to 28 competed and were systematically eliminated in what dancers labelled an “intense” week at the South African International Ballet Competition, held at Artscape in Cape Town from 18 to 22 February 2014.

In what’s said to be the highest level of performance ever seen at the South African International Ballet Competition, the final few dancers went head-to-head and toe-to-pointed-toe during the finals on the Saturday night competing for the top positions, medals and a share of R370 000 in cash prizes.

Big dreams come true for young South Africans

South African Mthuthuzeli November was a big winner of the night with a gold medal and a scholarship to the Ailey School in New York City. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

The South Africans held their own in the competition, with Mthuthuzeli November (20 years old) – a student at the Cape Academy of Performing Arts (CAPA) in Cape Town – taking gold in the Senior contemporary section. He had also won gold in the same category in the previous 2012 competition and this highly talented young man, originally from the Zolani township outside Montagu, so enchanted the audience that competition judge Melanie Person offered November a scholarship to the prestigious Ailey School in New York, of which she is co-director.

A second Ailey scholarship was also offered to another Cape dancer, Khanya Mandongana (17) from the Cape Junior Ballet who beamed onto stage, despite striding on with crutches thanks to a foot injury sustained during his final performance.

Young star-in-the-making, Leroy Mokgatle (14) from the Art of Motion school in Johannesburg was an impressive South African competitor in the scholar division and won a gold medal in the contemporary section as well as a silver medal for his striking classical performance of Don Quixote.

14 year old Leroy Mokgatle from Johannesburg wowed the audience with his performance from Don Quixote. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Tough international acts to follow

But the night belonged to China with the biggest number of medals, six in total, with five golds and one bronze medal. The star of the night was Yuanyuan Zhang (19) from China, winning a double gold for both the junior classical and junior contemporary sections. You can see her perform with her partner, Anpu Yuan (21), at the Young Ballet Stars of the World gala events in Johannesburg on 25 and 26 February 2014.

Double gold medallist in the junior category, Yuanyuan Zhang. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

The South Korean dancers will travel home with two golds and two silvers across the contemporary and classical sections; and following just behind the Koreans, the Cubans were awarded two golds, one silver and a bronze medal. Two medals will also travel back to the USA and one to Switzerland.

The gold medal in the men’s senior classical division went to Ramiro Samon, who along with fellow Cuban and silver medallist, Javier Monier, are both currently dancing with Joburg Ballet and can be seen in their upcoming production of Coppélia at the Joburg Theatre in Johannesburg from 7 to 23 March 2014.

Here are the full results from the 2014 South African International Ballet Competition:

Senior Classical – Girls
Gold: R25 000: Ga Yeon Jung (21), South Korea
Silver: R15 000: no medal awarded
Bronze: R10 000: no medal awarded

Senior Contemporary – Girls
Gold: R15 000: no medal awarded

Senior Classical – Boys
Gold: R25 000: Ramiro Samon (20), Cuba
Silver: R15 000: Javier Monier (21), Cuba
Bronze: R10 000: no medal awarded

Senior Contemporary – Boys
Gold: R15 000: Mthuthuzeli November (20), South Africa

Junior Classical – Girls
Gold: R20 000: Yuanyuan Zhang (19), China
Silver: R12 500: Lou Spichtig (16), Switzerland
Bronze: R7 500: Gabrielle Chock (16), USA

The senior classical gold medal went to Cuban dancer Ramiro Samon, currently dancing with Joburg Ballet. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Junior Contemporary – Girls
Gold: R10 000: Yuanyuan Zhang (19), China

Junior Classical – Boys
Gold: R20 000: Rafael Quenedit Castro (17), Cuba
Silver: R12 500: Byul Yun (19), South Korea
Bronze: R7 500: Francois Llorente Nunez (18), Cuba

Junior Contemporary – Boys
Gold: R10 000: Byul Yun (19), South Korea

Scholar Classical – Girls
Gold: R7 500: Yu Hang (14), China
Silver: R5 000: Seung Yeon Yang (15), South Korea
Bronze: R2 500: Julia Conway (14), USA and Fu Yi Yang (13), China

Scholar Contemporary – Girls
Gold: R5 000: Yu Hang (14), China

Scholar  Classical– Boys
Gold: R7 500: Xu Jing Kun (13), China
Silver: R5 000: Leroy Mokgatle (14), South Africa
Bronze: R2 500: No medal awarded

Scholar Contemporary – Boys
Gold: R5 000: Leroy Mokgatle (14), South Africa

Enjoy more fantastic competition photos from the finals in Part 2 here, with a behind-the-scenes sneak peek photo gallery in Part 3 here.

Winning the gold medal for her contemporary performance at the recent South African International Ballet Competition, Yuanyuan Zhang now performs her piece with partner Anpu Yuan to Joburg audiences. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

The double gold medallist awarded at last week’s South African International Ballet Competition, Chinese ballerina Yuanyuan Zhang, will perform with partner Anpu Yuan for just two performances in Johannesburg this week.

Joined by exceptional dancers from South Korea (the Korean Youth Ballet Stars), Cuba (from the National Ballet of Cuba), along with other competition winners and upcoming South African stars (including Johannesburg’s very strong Art of Motion dancers), you can see these dancers perform at the Young Ballet Stars of the World gala events on Tuesday 25 February and Wednesday 26 February at 8pm at the Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City.

Booking details:

Dates: Tuesday 25 February 2014 at 8pm; Wednesday 26 February 2014 at 8pm.
Venue: Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City, Johannesburg
Tickets: R120, R250 or R360 via Computicket.com.