Douglas Griffiths and Simone Muller-Lotz, photo courtesy Baxter Dance Festival.

Now in its ninth year, the Baxter Dance Festival will take place from 3 to 12 October 2013, showcasing the dynamic and diverse dance talent from Cape Town and across the Western Cape.

The festival organisers are calling for entries from dance studios, schools, companies, groups and independent dance-makers, as well as proposals from choreographers for a specially commissioned new 20-minute choreographic dance piece.

The closing date for applications to participate in this year’s event is Friday, 21 June, at 5pm and choreographers are strongly encouraged to submit their submissions as early as possible.

Proposals for the commissioned dance piece are to be submitted by no later than Tuesday, 18 June, and should include a DVD of recent work.

Must-see festival on Cape Town’s dance event calendar

Since its inception, over 300 local choreographers have presented their work in the festival, featuring over 1000 dancers from about 150 studios, dance schools, projects and professional companies from all over the Western Cape, presenting a wide variety of dance styles and genres including contemporary, classical, African, modern and Spanish.

Grant van Ster and Louisa Ann Talbot, photo courtesy Baxter Dance Festival.

“The growth of the festival has been extremely encouraging,” says Nicolette Moses, the Baxter’s Associate Producer and project manager of the dance festival. “The Off Main programme creates further opportunity for local dance groups and choreographers, and ensures an exciting, diverse and jam-packed line-up.”

The Main Programme will feature works of various lengths by established professional companies, including the newly commissioned work, and by invited companies, while the Off Main Programme, which takes place on Saturday, 5 October, will showcase work by up-and-coming choreographers, including student work.

The Fringe Programme on Saturday, 12 October, will include work by youth groups, dance studios, school groups, traditional dance groups and other choreographers who specifically request that their work be staged here for practical or other reasons.

Previous choreographers of the commissioned work are Ebrahim Medell (2005), Marlin Zoutman (2006), collaborators Yarisha Singh and Celeste Botha (2007), Levern Botha (2008), Mamela Nyamza (2009), Carolyn Holden from La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre (2010), Grant van Ster (2011) and Ananda Fuchs (2012). All these choreographers have continued to make their mark in the world of dance, both locally and abroad.

Application details:

Application forms are available from www.baxter.co.za or the Baxter’s reception desk in the main foyer. Forms may also be obtained from and should be sent to Nicolette Moses, Associate Producer and Planning Manager, on 021 680 3964 or email nicolette.moses@uct.ac.za. Alternatively, they can be hand-delivered to the Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, marked clearly for her attention.

Deadlines:

• Friday, 21 June 2013, for applications to participate in the festival programme.
• Tuesday, 18 June 2013, for proposals for the commissioned dance piece (should include a DVD of recent work).
• No late entries will be considered.

The Baxter Theatre Centre will provide a comprehensive production package which includes lighting, sound, technical assistance, publicity, box office facilities, printed programmes and pre-show rehearsal arrangements, making it a hassle-free experience for participating dance groups and companies.

Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing courtesy of Bovim Ballet.

Due to the success of Private Presley – Bovim Ballet’s latest Rock-‘n-Roll ballet – this toe-tapping tribute to the king is back in Cape Town for a second season, this time at the Baxter Theatre from 4 to 15 June 2013 with a few new faces in the lead roles.

“I am so excited to reveal some of South Africa’s newest rising stars in our second run of Private Presley,” said Sean Bovim.

“It is gratifying to be able to respond to the immense demand that we received for another run so soon after the first one. We’ve been told there were some people who saw the show 3 or 4 times!”

Getting all shook up all over again

Take over 20 of Elvis Presley’s greatest hits and bring to the stage 17 multi-talented dancers, dressed by top International fashion designers Ian West, Craig Port and KLÛK/CGDT, and you have something quite extraordinary – especially considering that these ballerinas are rocking and jiving en pointe!

In fact, click over to this Private Presley photo gallery and take a peek at some of the Elvis action for yourself.

Fresh casting

Bovim Ballet claims the roles will be expertly filled by some of South Africa’s most sought after dancers, such as Trevor Schoonraad portraying Elvis and Nicola Van der Merwe performing as Priscilla, with the role of Natalie being danced by Simoné Botha (Miss Deaf SA 2012).

Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing courtesy of Bovim Ballet.

The rest of the talented cast includes James Bradley (Nick), Devon Marshbank (Billy), Faye Dubinski (Juliet), Tanya Futter (Ann-Margret), Grant Van Ster, Zandile Constable, Llewellyn Mnguni, Ché Milani, Martin Harding, Chris Ncekana, JV Mattei, Michele La Trobe, Tamryn Van Houten and Gillian Upsher.

Here are a few of the critics’ comments following Private Presley’s first run (at the Artscape Theatre during April 2013):

“The show is a hit…..Gripping Performance” – City Press

“Treat fit for a King” – Cape Times

“Visually Striking” – Cape Argus

“Technically Perfect and Artistically Delightful” – FANBASE Magazine

Booking details:

Dates: 4 – 15 June 2013, Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8pm with a matinee performance on Sunday 9 June at 3pm.
Venue: Baxter Theatre, Cape Town
Tickets: from R150 to R220 through Computicket or directly by calling the Baxter Theatre on 021 685 7880. A 10% discount is available to Pensioners and Students.

Anna Ivanova in Romeo and Juliet. Photo courtesy of Stars of the Ballet Moscow

Stars of the Ballet Moscow – a traveling troupe including renowned soloists and award winners from various leading Moscow ballet companies such as Bolshoi Ballet, Imperial Russian Ballet and others – will perform in cities across South Africa in June and July 2013.

With choreography by former Bolshoi Ballet director Yuri Vetrov, the principal dancers are led by husband and wife team Anna Ivanova and Alexander Alikin (both principal dancers from the Imperial Russian Ballet) in a programme that celebrates the music of the great Russian composers Sergei Rachmaninov and Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

Starting with Rachmaninov, the first act includes the one-act ballet Paganini, as well as Adagio from Symphony No 2 and All by Myself. The second act features the one-act ballet Romeo and Juliet and extracts from the other much-loved Tchaikovsky classical ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.

Route of the tour:

Johannesburg, Emperors Palace Theatre of Marcellus:
Saturday 15 June 2013 at 3pm
Saturday 15 June 2013 at 8pm
Sunday 16 June 2013 at 3pm

Anna Ivanova and Alexander Alikin perform Romeo and Juliet with Stars of the Ballet Moscow.

Durban, Playhouse Opera Theatre:
Tuesday 18 June 2013 at 7:30pm
Wednesday 19 June 2013 at 7:30pm

Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth Opera House:
Sunday 23 June 2013 at 3:00pm

Cape Town, Baxter Theatre:
Wednesday 26 June 2013 at 7:30pm
Thursday 27 June 2013 at 7:30pm
Friday 28 June 2013 at 7:30pm
Saturday 29 June 2013 at 3:00pm
Saturday 29 June 2013 at 7:30pm
Sunday 30 June 2013 at 3:00pm

Pretoria, SA State Theatre, Drama:
Saturday 6 July at 3pm and 7:30pm
Sunday 7 July at 3pm

Tickets: From R140 to R250 from Computicket