Jazzing up the night (& day) with Cape Town City Ballet. Photo by Michael Groenewald courtesy of CTCB.

Whether you’re looking to end the holiday on a high note, or kick start the new year with some memorable melodies, Cape Town City Ballet will have you tapping and clapping to the lively tunes of legendary singer/songwriter Cole Porter with their production of Night & Day, on at Cape Town’s Artscape Theatre until 11 January 2014.

Showing off the versatility of Cape Town City Ballet’s dancers, this production blends ballet with tap, cabaret and jazz set to Porter’s witty lyrics and charming tunes. You’ll recognise songs like Let’s Misbehave, I’ve got you under my skin and It’s too darn hot; and for days afterwards you’ll be humming It’s delicious, it’s delightful, it’s De-Lovely as well as Let’s do it, let’s fall in love.

In fact, you can start singing along right now with this fantastically fun little video clip – taken from the movie DeLovely based on Cole Porter’s life – with Alanis Morisette singing the lead…

And here’s another special old-time treat with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers performing Cole Porter’s Night and Day.

Booking details:

Dates: 30 December 2013 – 11 January 2014
Venue: Artscape Theatre, Cape Town
Tickets: From R150 or children (6 to 16 years) at R50 through Computicket.

Fred Astaire in his 1941 movie ‘You’ll Never Get Rich’.

Gene Kelly once said that the “the history of dance on film begins with Astaire“.

Considering that he was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute, and was recognised for his importance and influence by such dancing greats as Rudolf Nureyev, Michael Jackson, George Balanchine and Mikhail Baryshnikov, here’s our humble hat tip and curtsey to the legend that is Mr Fred Astaire – born on this day, 10 May, back in 1899.

And in case you didn’t realise just how brilliantly smooth and masterful Fred Astaire really was, watch him in action with Rita Hayworth in this toe-tapping video. It’s a clip from their second movie together, “You Were Never Lovelier” from 1942.

Just for a fun twist, the music in this video is a remixed version of “Bossa Nova Baby” by Elvis Presley.

Ready for more are you?

Well here’s a classic favourite song and dance called “I’m Old Fashioned” from the same movie, again with the lovely Rita Hayworth. In fact, this particular song and dance sequence (stay with it, the dancing heats up as the song progresses) actually formed the central piece to Jerome Robbins’s New York City Ballet tribute to Astaire in 1983. Enjoy!