A scene from Lauge Sorensen’s beautifully produced mini-documentary for Joburg Ballet.

Joburg Ballet have created a video series that takes you into their studios and into dancers’ homes to follow their journey as they rehearse and prepare for every detail of their new production of Swan Lake 2015.

With new choreography, new stage sets and an international cast from China, Cuba, the United States, Brazil and South Africa – the logistics are scary and the nerves are running high, but so is the excitement.

But let’s step back to one month before opening night, when the dancers first start to truly feel the pressure as they prepare physically and mentally. Here’s Episode 1, titled Pressure, with a special behind-the-scenes focus on South Africa’s own prima ballerina, Burnise Silvius.

Looking at the aspirations of up-and-coming young dancers and the unique challenges of a South African ballet company encouraging children from the townships to one day take centre stage – here’s Episode 2, Aspirations…

In Episode 3 you’ll meet soloist Nicole Ferreira-Dill and experience her joy as she learns she’s going to take on the roles of Odette and Odile for the very first time. This Episode is called Casting.

And then Episode 4, Swan Lake Production Week, shows the company in the final few days of preparations and rehearsals before opening night.

Booking details for Joburg Ballet’s Swan Lake:

Dates: Friday 17 April – Sunday 3 May 2015.
Venue: Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Tickets: from R100 to R400 via JoburgTheatre.com or 0861 670 670

Classical ballet in grand style, Joburg Ballet’s La Bayadère is on at Joburg Theatre from 12 to 28 September 2014. Photo courtesy Joburg Ballet.

Known as one of the greatest 19th century ballets, La Bayadère (or ‘the temple dancer’ in English) is set in the royal India of the past where the exotic story of love, betrayal, vengeance and justice unfolds. Marking a first for Joburg Ballet, La Bayadère premieres at the Joburg Theatre from 12 September through to 28 September 2014.

Large cast assembled from South Africa and Cuba

Enter the ethereal plane of the Kingdom of the Shades. Photo by Lauge Sorensen

To stage such a big ballet as La Bayadère requires opulent stage sets and a large cast of dancers, particularly for choreographer Marius Petipa’s iconic Kingdom of the Shades scenes where columns of shades (spirits) descend with their synchronous arabesque sequence.

To achieve the grand scale, the company has assembled a large cast including Joburg Ballet’s own principal dancers, soloists and corps de ballet, a guest artist from the National Ballet of Cuba, dancers from the Joburg Ballet Academy, Joburg Ballet Cuban School, additional freelance dancers and extras, as well as two veteran ballet personalities for the mime roles.

In celebrating 5 years of the South Africa-Cuba ballet partnership begun by CEO Dirk Badenhorst in 2009, Joburg Ballet has cast National Ballet of Cuba guest artist Luis David Valle Ponce in the lead male role for certain performances (see full casting below).

Valle Ponce will share the role of the warrior Solor with Ramiro Samón, Juan Carlos Osma and Jonathan Rodrigues. As for the temple dancer Nikiya, the bayadère will be danced by Joburg Ballet’s prima ballerina Burnise Silvius as well as Shannon Glover, Nicole Ferreira-Dill and Lindé Wessels. The rival love interest of Princess Gamzatti will be performed by Claudia Monja, Angela Revie, Sanmarie Kreuzhuber-Hagler and Dayana Hardy Acuna.

Shannon Glover and Luis David Valle Ponce as Nikiya and her warrior love Solor. Photo by Lauge Sorensen

One of the ballet’s spectacular male showpieces, the Bronze Idol, will be shared by Luis David Valle Ponce, Javier Monier, Jonathan Rodrigues, Ramiro Samón and Randol Figueredo, while the two major mime roles – the Rajah and the High Brahmin – will be portrayed by the highly experienced Manuel Noram and Nigel Hannah.

Admitting to the huge undertaking that is La Bayadère, artistic director Iain MacDonald says he’s proud of the dedication and passion of the team, adding that “a classic like La Bayadère is a supreme challenge for any ballet company and our audiences can look forward to a major new addition to our repertoire, beautifully danced by the whole company.”

Casting for La Bayadère:

Casting details (subject to change) are as follows for the roles of Nikiya, Solor, Gamzatti and the Bronze Idol:

• Friday 12 September at 7:30pm: Silvius, Samón, Monja, Valle Ponce
• Saturday 13 September at 3pm: Glover, Valle Ponce, A. Revie, Monier
• Saturday 13 September at 7:30pm: Ferreira-Dill, Osma, Monja, Rodrigues
• Sunday 14 September at 11am: Wessels, Rodrigues, Kreuzhuber-Hagler, Samón
• Sunday 14 September at 3pm: Glover, Valle Ponce, A. Revie, Figueredo
• Tuesday 16 September at 11am: Glover, Valle Ponce, A. Revie, Samón
• Sunday 21 September at 11am: Ferreira-Dill, Osma, Monja, Rodrigues
• Sunday 21 September at 3pm: Silvius, Samón, Acuna, Figueredo
• Wednesday 24 September at 7:30pm: Wessels, Rodrigues, Kreuzhuber-Hagler, Samón
• Friday 26 September at 7:30pm: Silvius, Samón, Monja, Rodrigues
• Saturday 27 September at 3pm: Ferreira-Dill, Osma, Kreuzhuber-Hagler, Valle Ponce
• Sunday 28 September at 3pm: Silvius, Samón, Acuna, Monier

Booking details:

Dates: Fri 12 Sep 7:30pm (½ Price Night); Sat 13 Sep 3pm & 7:30pm; Sun 14 Sep 11am & 3pm; Tue 16 Sep 11am (School Performance); Sun 21 Sep 11am & 3pm; Wed 24 Sep 7:30pm; Fri 26 Sep 7:30pm; Sat 27 Sep 3pm; Sun 28 Sep 3pm.
Venue: Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Tickets: from R100 to R400 via JoburgTheatre.com or 0861 670 670

Special booking offer – Ballet Combo: 20% off all performances except ½ Price Nights if booking for both La Bayadère and The Nutcracker Re-Imagined at the same time. (When booking online, add the code joburg ballet into the coupon field and click on the green plus button to activate the discount to your purchase.)

Leading Russian ballerinas leap into Joburg for four exclusive performances only from 4 to 6 July 2014.

South Africa has seen a mix of Russian touring companies of late, all claiming to bring us their “ballet stars” but with sometimes disappointing results. However, the upcoming Russian Ballet Stars gala performances look a little different, particularly with an opera diva in the mix. Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect to see at these performances at the Joburg Theatre from 4 to 6 July 2014.

For one, this production is presented by ballet entrepreneur Dirk Badenhorst, who is steadily becoming synonymous with high quality and high profile international ballet galas, from the inspiring tribute gala for Alicia Alonso to the recent Stars of the American Ballet performances featuring principal dancers from New York City Ballet and other leading companies.

Now, Dirk Badenhorst is bringing us the principal dancers and leading ballerinas from the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, the National Ballet in Kiev, and the Mikhailovsky Theater and other respected companies in St Petersburg.

Commenting on this visit, he said:

“This is a very exciting project for me, being the first group of Russian ballet stars I am bringing to South Africa. Russia is synonymous with the very best in ballet internationally and it will be a rare treat for our audiences to be able to see dancers drawn from leading Russian ballet companies brought together on the Johannesburg stage.” – Dirk Badenhort

Match made in Russia – Mixing opera and ballet

Russian opera diva, Larisa Akhmetova, will perform alongside dancers at the Russian Ballet Stars gala performances at Joburg Theatre.

Adding another layer of interest to these performances will be the participation of Russian opera diva Larisa Akhmetova. With her unique vocal range, which allows her to sing roles in both the soprano and mezzo-soprano opera repertoire, she will perform arias from Bizet’s Carmen and Puccini’s Tosca, as well as accompany the dancers in performances of highlights from the ballet Carmina Burana. See the video below for a little teaser treat.

The gala programme features great classical ballet highlights, among them Swan Lake Black Swan Pas de Deux, Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Grand Pas Classique, Schéhèrazade Pas de Deux and several other showpieces, including some items not seen in South Africa before.

The Russian Ballet Stars galas are directed by Ruslan Nurtdinov and feature the following dancers:

• Lyubov Andreeva (Principal Dancer, Boris Eifman Ballet, St Petersburg)
• Alla Bocharova (Prima Ballerina, Yakobson Theater, St Petersburg)
• Oleg Gabyshev (Principal Dancer, Boris Eifman Ballet, St Petersburg)
• Nikolay Korypaev (First Soloist, Mikhailovsky Theatre, St Petersburg)
• Natalia Matsak (Principal Dancer, National Ballet, Kiev)
• Maria Mishina (Artist of the Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow)
• Denis Nedak (Principal, National Ballet, Kiev & Guest Artist, American Ballet Theatre, New York)
• Andrey Pisarev (Principal, National Ballet, Kiev)

Now here’s that video, and if you haven’t reserved your seats yet, you better click on the booking link below, fast. You know, the show ain’t over till the fabulous lady sings…

Booking details

Dates: Friday 4 July 2014 at 8pm; Saturday 5 July at 3pm; Saturday 5 July at 8pm; and Sunday 6 July at 3pm.
Venue: Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Tickets: from R200 to R450 via JoburgTheatre.com or 0861 670 670.

Claiming that this cultural wildlife adventure will be “luxury for a cause”, Dirk Badenhorst says the event was designed to raise awareness of the devastating onslaught on Africa’s rhinos, with proceeds being donated to The Rhino Orphanage.

Graciously supporting the initiative is US ballerina Michaela DePrince, and as patron of this Ballet in the Bush rhino orphan project, she brings her own remarkable story as an African orphan herself.

From an African orphanage to the international ballet stage

Born into war-ravaged Sierra Leone, Michaela DePrince saw her parents die while just a toddler. Once in the orphanage, the combination of a skin disorder and local superstitions meant that she was labelled the “devil’s child” and was ignored, mistreated and malnourished.

She was only four years old, left with a bleak future and little hope.

Michaela DePrince during rehearsals for Stars of American Ballet. Photo by Bill Zurich

But hope arrived in the form of a picture in a magazine that blew up against a gate – a picture of an American ballerina en pointe. From that moment, little Michaela only wished to become that exact person on tippy toes and her obsession with ballet began – even as unknown as ‘ballet’ was to her then.

Shortly after, she was adopted by a loving American family and soon ballet lessons led to ballet competitions and then full-length professional ballet productions.

Now Michaela brings her hope and inspiration to the rhino orphans who need every bit of hope and help. This tailor-made Ballet in the Bush adventure includes a game drive, an opportunity to play on the World-in-One Signature Golf Course at the resort, and of course the highlight will be a gala performance in an outdoor amphitheatre by international ballet stars, directed by New York City Ballet principal Joaquin de Luz.

Isaac Hernandez and Michaela DePrince rehearsing a scene from Don Quixote. Photo by Bill Zurich

In addition to highlights from major classics such as Le Corsaire, Don Quixote and Diana and Actaeon, the Stars of American Ballet programme also showcases choreography never before performed in South Africa, such as works by legendary choreographer George Balanchine, including his Broadway inspired classic, the Who Cares Suite.

So, are you looking for a little adventure for a good cause? Can you make things happen on short notice? Yes? Well here’s what you need to know…

See Joaquin de Luz, principal at New York City Ballet perform in Stars of American Ballet. Seen here with fellow NYCB principal Ana Sophia Scheller.

Details for Stars of American Ballet in the Bush

Dates: Monday 23 June and Tuesday 24 June 2014
Venue: Legend Golf and Safari Resort, Waterberg, Limpopo Province
Safari Package price: R1 800 per person sharing, or R2 300 for a single Safari Package (or ask about the group/corporate packages), which includes a donation to The Rhino Orphanage.

Package includes:

• 1 Ticket to the Stars of American Ballet performance and Gala Dinner function.
• Pre-performance cocktails and snacks.
• 1 Night accommodation at Legend Golf & Safari Resort.
• Breakfast.
• Game Drive in the Big 5 Entabeni Safari Conservancy.

Valid for 23 June 2014. Terms and conditions apply. Additional nights available.

For more information contact:
Dirk Badenhorst on 083 324 0949 or badenhorstdirk.db@gmail.com
Lindsay McDonald on 011 877 6900 or lindsay@dirkbadenhorst.com
Jonathan Hurwitz on 011 877 6901 or jonathan@dirkbadenhorst.com

Ernst de Jong with his American Dream Wheel.

South African artist Ernst de Jong – considered somewhat of a legend in the art and design world – marks his 80th birthday with artworks and stage designs specially painted for the Stars of American Ballet production, taking place at Montecasino’s Teatro from 20 to 22 June 2014.

As the design director for the South African bank notes (with the big five animals) and the artist behind many everyday items, from Five Roses Tea to the blue and red designs on Cobra taps, Ernst de Jong has been quoted as saying, “Nobody can escape art. [It’s] the furniture that we sit on, the fashion that we wear, the designs of the cars we drive.”

And now his artistic influence stretches to the ballets we watch too.

The paintings he’s created each reflect one of the items performed in the Stars of American Ballet galas, such as Tarantella, Le Corsaire, Balanchine’s Who Cares and others. They will appear behind the dancers on large onstage LED screens, making it the first time that LED screens form the décor for ballet in South Africa. The artworks will also be exhibited in various locations at the Teatro at Montecasino.

Okay, this is lovely, but what’s the link you ask?

The link is a rather personal one, with Ernst de Jong’s own granddaughter, the Johannesburg-born and New York-based Andrea Schermoly, appearing as one of the stars in the show. She was awarded the Outstanding Choreographer Award in 2012 and 2013 at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) and this year received the Emerging Choreographer Grant to choreograph at Lincoln Center at YAGP’s 15th anniversary gala.

Here’s an entertaining example of her choreography from the 2012 YAGP. This one’s called “Tricks are for kids”, performed by junior competitor Adam Bernstein.

You can watch more of Andrea Schermoly’s choreography in action, along with works by Balanchine and pieces from other crowd-pleasing classics such as Le Corsaire and Don Quixote at the 5-performance-only season of Stars of American Ballet this weekend.

Born in the USA by South African artist Ernst de Jong.

Presented by local ballet entrepreneur Dirk Badenhorst, the show is directed by Joaquin de Luz of the New York City Ballet and features the following American dancers:

Ashley Bouder, Joaquin de Luz, Amar Ramasar, Emilie Gerrity and Indiana Woodward (all from New York City Ballet);
Adiarys Almeida (International free-lance dancer, previously Boston Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet and Corella Ballet Madrid);
Isaac Hernandez (Dutch National Ballet, previously San Francisco Ballet);
Jonhal Fernandez (Ballet de Monterrey);
Joseph Gatti (international freelance dancer, previously Boston Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet);
Anna Maria Lucaciu (Cedar Lake);
Andrea Schermoly (Nederlands Dans Theater);
and Michaela DePrince (Dutch National Ballet Junior Company and star of the First Position movie).

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.

Principal dancer at New York City Ballet, Ashley Bouder, joins fellow NYCB principal Joaquin de Luz and other American ballet stars on a trip to South Africa. Photo courtesy Stars of American Ballet.

For the first time in over thirty years – which essentially translates to “for the first time ever” for our younger ballet enthusiasts – a group of American ballet dancers are travelling to South Africa to perform in a limited season of The Stars of American Ballet, a production featuring acclaimed dancers from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet and more, on at Montecasino’s Teatro in Johannesburg from 20 to 22 June 2014.

See works never yet performed in SA

The gala programme, presented by local ballet entrepreneur Dirk Badenhorst, will include highlights from major classics such as Le Corsaire, Don Quixote and Diana and Actaeon, but will also showcases works never before performed in South Africa, such as George Balanchine’s Broadway inspired classic Who Cares? to the much-loved music by George Gershwin.

Joaquin de Luz, New York City Ballet principal dancer and the director of this production, commented in New York on the upcoming historic visit to South Africa:

“My fellow dancers and I are looking forward to our visit and the opportunity to dance for South African audiences under Dirk Badenhorst’s banner. We have assembled a group of outstanding American stars and a repertoire of classical ballet highlights that will show them at their best.”

He adds, “We are also bringing some pieces that SA audiences have not had the opportunity to see as well as works by legendary choreographer George Balanchine. So it will be a blend of the new and the familiar that we know will thrill and enthral”.

Watch this short video of Joaquin de Luz performing a variation from Le Corsaire:

Big names in American ballet

The 5-performance-only run at the Teatro at Montecasino features dancers Adiarys Almeida, Ashley Bouder, Joaquin de Luz, Isaac Hernandez, Jonhal Fernandez, Joseph Gatti, Anna Maria Lucaciu, Amar Ramasar, Ana Sofia Scheller, Andi Schermoly, Daniel Ulbricht, Indiana Woodward and Michaela DePrince (star of the First Position movie and who has previously danced to acclaim in Joburg Ballet’s productions of Le Corsaire and Don Quixote).

US ballet star Michaela De Prince returns to SA for her third visit to perform in Stars of American Ballet. Photo courtesy Joburg Ballet

Commenting on the coming visit in June, presenter Dirk Badenhorst said: “No-one sets the stage alight quite like America’s great classical ballet stars, with the speed, sense of daring, and razzmatazz that is so unique to American ballet. For this reason I am delighted to be able to bring these great dancers to South Africa and to offer our audiences something we don’t often see here: classical ballet in the American style.”

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.

See the Korean Youth Ballet Stars perform in Cape and Johannesburg in February 2014.

As the first major ballet gala event of 2014, the Young Ballet Stars of The World production is said to be possibly the largest gathering of young international ballet dancers ever seen in one South African event. Following immediately after the South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC) in Cape Town – and including the competition’s medal winners alongside international guests – the Young Ballet Stars of The World assemble for gala performances in Cape Town on 23 February at Artscape and then Johannesburg on 25 and 26 February 2014 at the Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City.

South Africa’s ballet entrepreneur, Dirk Badenhorst, has invited the Korean Youth Ballet Stars, dancers from the National Ballet School of Cuba, the Youth America Grand Prix in New York as well as dancers from the United States, Switzerland, China, Brazil and Japan, who will join local South African stars to mark the highlight of the 2014 South African International Ballet Competition.

The ‘young’ part of the title Young Ballet Stars of The World relates to the fact that the four gala performances aim to showcase “the brilliance of young stars on the verge of greatness, giving SA audiences a rare glimpse into the future of international ballet in a glittering array of ballet highlights” (according to their press release).

“The ballet world has recently seen an explosion of phenomenal talent from young dancers in their teens and early twenties and the galas in South Africa offer a unique preview of greatness before these dancers take the world by storm,” says Dirk Badenhorst, CEO of the SAIBC.

Booking details – Cape Town

Dates: Sunday, 23 February 2014 at 3pm and 7:30pm.
Venue: Artscape Theatre Centre, Cape Town
Tickets: R200 or R300 via Computicket.com.

Booking details – Johannesburg

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.

Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

The Cape Town International Ballet Competition is taking back the original name it started with in 2008 and will now be known (again) as the South African International Ballet Competition.

Dirk Badenhorst, the founder and CEO of the competition, has said that in view of the City of Cape Town’s decision to terminate its funding of the competition, the competition will no longer carry the city’s name.

The fourth South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC) will be supported by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund and takes place from 17 to 23 February 2014 at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town.

As a ballet entrepreneur, it would seem Dirk Badenhorst rather likes the challenge that comes with a good name change. Apart from the ping-pong name changes for the ballet competition, his other ballet venture, Mzansi Productions, joined with the South African Ballet Theatre in July 2012 to become South African Mzansi Ballet. Then little over a year later, thanks to significant funding by the City of Johannesburg, they changed the name once more to Joburg Ballet.

Let’s hope the City of Joburg continues their funding well into the future, lest we have to report another funding-fragile name change yet again. However, if you read this mixing business with ballet case study, you’ll see that Joburg Ballet’s funders and partners should be particularly chuffed with the ballet company’s growth in 2013.

Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Still time to enter as a dance participant

Hailed by dance enthusiasts as one of the most exciting happenings on the South African ballet calendar, the SAIBC has taken place in Cape Town every second year since 2008 and is the only event of its kind on the African continent.

Said to attract top dancers from SA and the world, this year’s participants already include dancers from Switzerland, Cuba, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, China and the biggest number of South African entrants yet. The prize money totals R340,000.

The closing date for entries is on Monday, 13 January 2014. For the application and competition rules, queries should be addressed to Dirk Badenhorst on badenhorst.db@gmail.com or on 083 324 0949. More details are also available on www.ctibc.com.

Still time to book as a dance spectator

Open to the public and taking place at Artscape Theatre, the Preliminary Elimination Rounds take place on Tuesday 18 to Thursday 20 February at 6pm and the Finals take place on Friday 21 February at 7:30pm. The Awards evening, where the top 5 dancers in each category will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals and monetary prizes, takes place on Saturday 22 February at 7:30pm.

Special Gala performances take place on Sunday 23 February at 3pm and 7:30pm to showcase the competition winners along with the Young Korean Ballet Stars from South Korea and top dancers from the National Ballet School of Cuba.

A version of this gala event called the Young Ballet Stars of the World will also be performed at The Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg on 25 and 26 February 2014.

Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

SAIBC booking details:

Dates: 18 to 23 February 2014
Venue: Artscape Theatre, Cape Town
Tickets:

• R60 for the Preliminary Elimination Rounds via Computicket here (18 – 20 February at 6pm).
• From R150 to to R350 for the Finals via Computicket here (21 February at 7:30pm).
• From R180 to R300 for the Awards evening via Computicket here (22 February at 7:30pm).
• From R200 to R350 for the Gala performances via Computicket here (23 February at 3pm and 7:30pm).

Young Ballet Stars of the World booking details:

Dates: 25 and 26 February 2014
Venue: The Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City, Johannesburg
Tickets: from R120 to R360 via Computicket here.

Ta-da! Brooklyn Mack and Sanmarie Kreuzhuber in Don Quixote. Photo courtesy SAMB.

The jury is still out as to whether they will become Joburg Ballet or Joburg City Ballet, but either way the name change comes as a condition of the ballet company’s latest and largest funder – the City of Johannesburg, which has just given them an R8-million injection.

The announcement was made at a press conference at the ballet company’s studios in Braamfontein on Friday last week, where the dancers heard the announcement for the first time along with the media and invited guests.

In a reversal of roles, it was the dancers giving a standing ovation to the man of the moment, Chris Vondo, a Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development, who was partly responsible for the allocation of the grant and was there to make the big announcement.

Cllr. Vondo was quoted as saying: “We recognize the large steps the ballet company has taken in recent years towards transformation as a performing arts company in South Africa and also its successful outreach programmes for the youngsters of our city.”

World-class opportunities

It is especially these youngsters that should be excited about the news. According to Dirk Badenhorst, the company’s CEO, this R8m funding gives them the much-needed sustainability allowing them to focus on providing world-class opportunities to local dancers.

Young children from Joburg are given opportunities to perform as part of SAMB’s outreach programme.

“Children from the theatre’s Development Programme in Soweto, Alexandra, Olifantsfontein, Mamelodi, Melville and Braamfontein – as well as young people from across the City and environs – can now look forward with pride to joining the company”, says Badenhorst.

The company, which we’ll still call SAMB until the official name-switch, says it has already been invited to perform in Washington DC in April 2014 at celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of South African democracy. Other potential local and African tours were mentioned too.

Commenting on the funding, Kitty Phetla, one of SAMB’s home-grown ballerinas said “it makes me very proud to be part of the company.” She added, “we are one step closer to being a world-class ballet company in South Africa.”

Funding for one year and potentially more

The R8m funding is a one year grant, from July 2013 till June 2014. However, provided the company uses the money wisely and meets their scorecard goals, there is an indicative allocation for a three year period, signaling the city’s intention to support the company on a potentially ongoing basis.

To oversee the management of this grant, the second condition of the funding –  the name-change being the first condition to highlight and emphasize the partnership between the City of Joburg and the company – will see two representatives of Joburg City Theatres (the municipal entity now operating Joburg Theatre, Soweto Theatre and Roodepoort Theatre) being invited onto SAMB’s Board of Directors.

“I believe in the value of the arts to help us seek solutions to Africa’s problems” said Dirk Badenhorst, “and I am proud to be counted among the citizens of Joburg”.

“Burlesque is fast becoming one of the world’s most celebrated variety entertainment acts. There is nothing quite like it and with the talent we have in South Africa, I believe that burlesque’s moment has arrived.” – Dirk Badenhorst, SA ballet entrepreneur and co-director of Big Top Burlesque

In fact, “the moment” arrives on Friday 21 June when Big Top Burlesque launches its big show called The Monday Club at the Blue Feather in Midrand.

The performance features a cast of 15 performers including dancers, vocalists and musicians, and paired with a three course dinner, the show promises to return audiences to the glamour of the Twenties and Thirties, with a dash of flirty Fifties for a, uh, well-rounded production.

Smooth moves by London West End choreographer

As the show’s choreographer, Ian Mills claims this production could be as comfortable in the West End or Broadway as it is in Johannesburg. And perhaps he should know, considering his 20 year career spans across theatre, television, cinema and fashion, as well as work for pop stars like Annie Lennox and Boyzone.

According to Mills, the show “is sexy, a little bit saucy and Big Top Burlesque features the best of the genre with an all-original script and breath taking performances.” He adds that it is “edgy, traditional and exceptional all at the same time.”

Booking details:

Dates: Big Top Burlesque opens on Friday 21 June and continues with performances every Friday and Saturday thereafter until 28 September 2013.

Venue: The award-winning, fine dining Blue Feather restaurant in Midrand (between Pretoria and Johannesburg)

Tickets: From R460 to R480 through Computicket and includes a three course meal as well as the performance (vegetarian option available).