Braz Dos Santos and Romina Hidalgo in the brand new Brazilian dance show, Brazouka.

The best Brazilian dancers the world has seen are in South Africa about to set the stage alight. That’s according to the producers of Brazouka, “the sensational dance story from the toughest streets of Brazil”, which is about to launch its world tour at Joburg Theatre from 3 to 19 October 2014, following its world premiere at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

This high profile dance-drama is performed by Brazil’s most thrilling new dance company led by Braz Dos Santos, widely known as the very best freestyle Lambazouk dancer in the world. What is Lambazouk? We’ll get to that in a moment, but still on the topic of ‘high profile’, the producers themselves seem to fit that title too.

Best-selling author, comedian and star of BBC TV’s Strictly Come Dancing, Pamela Stephenson-Connolly, worked with TV star and West End musical choreographer Arlene Phillips and Australian producer Harley Medcalf, founder of the hit production Burn the Floor, to stage this extraordinary high-energy Brazilian dance show – Brazouka.

Commenting on his excitement to bring Brazouka to South Africa, producer Harley Medcalf says, “I have been to the greatest heights as the producer of Burn the Floor. I did not ever think I could better that feeling of high emotion. With Brazouka I definitely have!  It will move you, excite you and simply astound you. The talent and production is breathtaking. I wanted to share it with you, live on stage!”

See the dance style of ‘Lambazouk’

The show introduces the sensational dance language of Lambazouk and other authentic Afro-Brazilian dances. Lambazouk or Zouk-Lambada is a dance style based on and evolving from the original Lambada style, typically danced to zouk music or music with a zouk beat.

And for our ballet readers, of course, whether it’s lambazouk or ballroom, ballet is still an important part of any professional dancers’ training, as you can see in this making-of video from behind-the-scenes rehearsals and more sneak-peak previews…

As a pioneer in this dance style, it was Braz Dos Santos’ own personal story of his struggle from humble beginnings as a fisherman’s son to dance his way onto the world’s stage that has inspired Brazouka.

When not out on perilous fishing trips to earn a living on a makeshift boat, the young Dos Santos and his brother Didi watched the birth of the lambada dance form by peeking through the door of the local bordello/brothel.

After being discovered dancing in his flip flops in a beach bar, Dos Santos and his brother were asked to travel to Paris (a place they had never heard of) to dance the lambada, which had become known as the ‘Forbidden Dance’. The boys’ father, a shaman in the Candomblé religion, forbade them to go. But for Braz the choice was clear: with precarious fishing being the only option if he stayed, it was a case of ‘dance or die’.

Joining Dos Santos on stage, the cast of gorgeous dancers are: Adriana Coutinho, Anderson Mendes, Bebé, Brenda Oliviera de Carvalho, Carlos de Silva, Fernanda de Silva, Gilson Damasco, Josta Ruby, Josy Borges, Natasha Terekhina, Rodrigo Oliviera, Romina Hidalgo, Sarita Piotrowski, Wellington Santos, and Zulu.

Booking details:

Dates: 3 – 19 October 2014
Venue: The Mandela at Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Tickets: from R180 via www.joburgtheatre.com or by calling 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.)

Photo by Bill Zurich courtesy of Bovim Ballet.

Following two sold out seasons in Cape Town in 2012, Sean Bovim’s Queen at the Ballet will be coming to Johannesburg for a long-awaited limited season at the Joburg Theatre from 26 March to 13 April 2014.

No men in tights or tutus here

Bovim Ballet seem to have a knack of combining the athleticism of ballet with rock music, brought together with highly entertaining choreography (see the video clips below).

Having recently completed their second run of their other rock ‘n roll ballet, Private Presley, Sean Bovim said: “for years I’ve wanted to bring my rock ballet, Queen at the Ballet, to the Joburg Theatre. I have been asked over and over again when the show is coming to the Jozi, and I’m happy to share the exciting news that the wait is almost over!”

Queen at the Ballet tells the story of Freddie Mercury through dance. Set to over 20 of his greatest hits (including ‘Who wants to live forever’, ‘Another one bites the dust’, ‘Barcelona’ and more), viewers are taken on a journey through the fascinating life of one of the world’s greatest singers. The audience can expect to see tender pas de deux interspersed with exciting rocking group numbers performed by over 20 of South Africa’s top dancing talents.

But it’s not only dance…

Photo by Bill Zurich courtesy of Bovim Ballet.

Johannesburg’s own charismatic rocker, Cito from WONDERboom and Jesus Christ Superstar fame, will deliver the power of Queen’s music accompanied by Michael Hankinson‘s exquisite, recorded orchestral arrangements. There will also be performances by Daniel Fisher (Fiddler on the Roof) and a special guest appearance by Angela Kilian (Eva Perón in EVITA) to perform the spine-chilling Barcelona with Cito.

Bovim’s productions also include collaborations with internationally recognized South African fashion designers Malcolm Klûk & CGDT, Craig Port, Gavin Rajah and Ian West.

According to Sean Bovim, “Bovim Ballet will showcase some of the greatest dance talent that South Africa has to offer,” including Henk Opperman (winner of Dans!Dans!Dans!) who portrays the role of Freddie Mercury.

Here you can see a few of the other cast members in action as they perform on live TV for Expresso (in August 2012), along with a quick and insightful interview on the making of the show:

Booking details:

Dates: 26th March to 13 April 2014 (Wednesdays to Saturdays 8pm and Sundays at 3pm)
Venue: The Mandela at Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg
Tickets: from R100 to R280 from www.joburgtheatre.com, or call the theatre’s direct ticketing line on 0861 670 670.

Photo by Photoloni via Flickr

What started as a clever marketing initiative to attract new audiences to the ballet, has now evolved into an exciting competition for ballet studios and dance groups.

South African Mzansi Ballet (SAMB) has taken their good idea – of allowing select studios to perform during their Don Quixote intervals – and created an even better initiative by creating a competition open to all ballet and dance groups in Gauteng, with various prizes and dance opportunities awarded to the winners.

The Just Dance! competition will take place during the September performances of SAMB’s new production of the classical ballet, Cinderella, at the Joburg Theatre between 13 and 29 September. Studios and groups will compete for prizes awarded in recognition of a combination of entertainment values and technical accomplishment. The competition is open to dancers across all dance techniques.

Prizes and dance opportunities:

A wide range of awards will be presented, with awards going to the winning groups as well as specific awards to individual participants for which all will be eligible, not just the dancers in the finalist groups. In addition to the cash awards and other prizes, performing opportunities will be awarded by the judges.

Entrants will also receive discounted tickets to SAMB’s new production of the classical ballet, Cinderella. The judging panel will feature well-known personalities from the dance and entertainment field and the judges will be looking for a “wow!” factor and dance that combines entertainment with solid technique.

SAMB dancers Claudia Monja and Nelson Nunez. Photo by Susanne Holbaek courtesy of SAMB.

Competition and application details:

The closing date for applications is Friday 2 August 2013, after which auditions will be held at the Joburg Theatre and, facilitated by SAMB’s Development Programme, also in Soweto, Mamelodi, Olifantsfontein and Alexandra to choose the competing groups who will perform at the Joburg Theatre in September.

Competing groups must commit to performing in the preliminary rounds as well as in the finals and performing in both rounds is a condition of participation. Semi-finals will take place in the SAMB studios at the Joburg Theatre.

Groups must comprise of five or more dancers; all dance styles are welcome and each work may be no longer than 4 minutes. No sets or props will be allowed and basic stage lighting will be provided onstage.

Three selected groups will perform at each Cinderella performance, either before the show or during the interval. Six semi-finalist groups will be selected to perform at the final performance of Cinderella and the winners will be announced after that performance. On the final day of the programme, Sunday 29 September at 11am, all groups that participated in the programme will re-assemble for a performance featuring all groups; and later that same day the finalists will perform in the intervals of the season’s final Cinderella performance.

For more information or for an application form please call Edgar Moagi on 011 877 6898 or email him on edgar@samzansiballet.com.

Swan Lake by South African Mzansi Ballet. Photo by John Hogg courtesy of SAMB

Time to bring out those evening dresses and suits…

A lengthy list of well-known stars has been confirmed for this dress-up-to-the-nines gala event, where you can expect a vibrant line-up of dancing, singing, comedy and other exciting stage performances in the concert’s line-up.

Dance variety

As for dance,  the Tshwane Dance Theatre will perform an excerpt from their celebrated dance drama, Pula (“blessed rain” in Sepedi), based on the legends and myths of Southern Africa’s rain-making queens; and the ballet world will be beautifully represented by the stars from the South African Mzansi Ballet, who will perform the waltz from their upcoming production of Cinderella as well as the Act II pas de deux from Swan Lake.

And then for ballet of the humorous sort, Tony Bentell and Mark Hawkins, along with two additional male colleagues will perform the hilarious Swan Lake Pas de Quatre (the four little swans) from their hit music revue Doo Bee Boobies, which apparently had audiences rolling with laughter some years ago.

“We are vibrant, passionate and new. We are opera’s magicians. We are Forté.”

Musical magic

The award-winning soprano diva, Sibongile Mngoma, will be joined by Cito, who is best known as the charismatic frontman of SA rock band Wonderboom, although he’s also a renowned theatre star (notably playing the lead role in Jesus Christ Superstar).

The audience will also get to enjoy the exciting new pairing of four singers from the Black Tie Ensemble, known as Forté, while musical-theatre darling Samantha Peo will perform a mischievous medley of songs from Chicago.

The orchestra will comprise more than 70 members, under the known baton of Maestro Graham Scott, and it will be a rare delight for a Johannesburg audience to hear a live orchestra accompanying the magnificent singing and dancing.

Angela Kilian, one of South Africa’s leading ladies of musical theatre.

All the better to enjoy a few more stars of the SA musical stage spanning across the generations: with doyennes Judy Page and Abigail Kubeka; then stage queen Angela Kilian; and the opera princess, blind 8-year-old Rochelle Veenemans, who will open the gala event with the aria O Mio Babbino Caro, one of Puccini’s best known compositions.

But wait, there’s more… really

How about a few more famous names such as Fiona Ramsay, Anne Power, Louise St Clair, Michael Richard, Michael de Pinna and Harry Sideropoulos, who will entertain you with Brush up your Shakespeare from the musical Kiss me Kate.

And there’s even more yet, with Sandra Prinsloo and Xolani Gwala in action as they present some of the programme too.

This shine-like-a-diamond fundraising concert was all made possible when the Joburg Theatre Complex donated the main Mandela auditorium, free of charge. In fact, every individual and organisation involved has donated their skills and services without remuneration, which means that the full proceeds of the evening will go towards the well-deserving SA Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind.

Will we see you there?

Event details:

Date: Wednesday, 5 June 2013 at 8pm
Venue: Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg
Tickets: Range from R150, R250, R350, R500 and R1000. Bookings can be made through www.joburgtheatre.com or call 0861 670 670.

And to get the toe-tapping started early, here’s a little clip of Mama Sophiatown herself, Abigail Kubeka, performing  her version of Miriam Makeba’s Yini Madoda.

Rebecca Houseknecht waiting backstage. Photo courtesy First Position Films.

“At least 5000 enter the competition, and then only a couple hundred make it to New York. You have five minutes on stage to prove why you deserve this chance.”

These words, heard on the First Position movie, refer to the Youth America Grand Prix finals, one of the world’s most prestigious ballet competitions and also one of the most grueling.

First Position – Bess Kargman’s award-winning ballet documentary – follows the lives of six young dancers aged 10 to 17, as they prepare themselves for this competition, pursuing their dreams for a chance to enter the world of professional ballet.

Lights, Camera, Action! Photo courtesy First Position Films.

First Position Films

Peek backstage

However, the movie is so very much more than seeing if the dancers win or lose. Instead, it gives us a backstage peek into the onstage and offstage lives of the dancers, including their everyday habits and routines – what they eat, how they train, when they play, how they train, how they train and how they train.

Yes, these youngsters are performing at such a high level, that they’ve sacrificed many aspects of their childhood and replaced it with sheer dedication and focus. Nothing short of perfection is expected, but we get to see how the dancers fight exhaustion, injuries, home-sickness and their own self-confidence in their never-ceasing achievement of that perfection.

It’s sometimes edge-of-your-seat, sometimes heart-in-your-throat viewing, where you anxiously watch the dancers slip and fall but also triumphantly succeed. It all makes for the most thrilling, exhilarating and deeply heart-warming true story.

See this trailer for an excellent introduction to the movie:

Meet the six young and tremendously talented ballet stars

Apart from their obvious talent and charm, the dancers also seem to have been purposely selected to challenge and break old ballet stereotypes – showing that not all boy dancers are gay, not all girls are anorexic divas, dancers aren’t all privileged and rich, and you don’t have to be white to succeed.

The beautifully dynamic Michaela DePrince. Photo courtesy First Position Films.

In fact, Michaela DePrince, an adopted war-refugee from Sierra Leone who was 14 at the time of filming, wanted to prove to the competition judges, and the world, that black dancers could be just as graceful as any of her fellow white competitors. South African audiences were certainly wowed by her beautiful grace and strength when she was invited by SA Mzansi Ballet to perform as Kitri in select performances in their recent season of Don Quixote.

At just 12 years old, Miko Fogarty – half-Japanese, half-American – has a strength that startles, not just in her ballet technique, but in her absolute determination. However, despite her mother’s best persuasive efforts, Miko’s younger brother Jules just doesn’t see his ballet career in quite the same way.

But like Miko, we see a similar dedication from Aran Bell, 11, who has to travel two hours every day from his father’s military base in order to attend class with (the slightly eccentric) Denys Ganio in Rome.

The movie had us rooting for the humble and talented Joan Sebastian Zamora. Photo courtesy First Position Films.

The handsome Joan Sebastian Zamora, 16, needed to travel much further though. He had to say goodbye to his family and home in Colombia, through great sacrifice of his parents, to allow him to train in New York. He’s working incredibly hard, hoping to be noticed by the Royal Ballet – and the movie has you tightly crossing every finger and toe on his behalf too.

Self-proclaimed American ‘princess’, Rebecca Houseknecht, 17, is a strikingly beautiful blonde with an equally beautiful ballet talent. She’s faced with the choice of either attending college, or finding a job with a professional company. She desperately wants the latter, but that heavily depends on her performance at the upcoming competition.

As a bonus character, we also get to see the delightful Gaya Bommer Yemini, 11, from Israel, as she develops a wonderfully touching and supportive friendship with Aran on the competition circuit.

Best supporting roles

Talking of support, the documentary wouldn’t be a documentary if we didn’t also hear the perspectives of the teachers and parents, which adds much to the emotional depth and breadth of just what’s at stake for these families.

With all the right touches of drama, suspense and feel-good inspiration, First Position makes for a marvelously uplifting film.

If you missed the recent South African screenings at the Joburg Theatre, you can either buy the DVD or ‘rent’ it via Amazon here: First Position

P.S. This is an affiliate link, meaning that BodyMindBallet will receive a small commission if you use this link to make a purchase, helping us fund the work on this website. Of course, we’ll only ever share high-quality products that we think you might enjoy.

P.P.S. If you want to see more pictures from the movie, head over to the photo gallery here.

Click on a picture to open the gallery.

Sanmarie Kreuzhuber displayed a beautiful strength as Kitri.
Photo courtesy of South African Mzansi Ballet

Call me greedy, but I just wasn’t satisfied with one performance of Don Quixote, so I had to go back for seconds.

It’s a good thing too, because even though both performances (by the South African Mzansi Ballet at the Joburg Theatre) had that sizzling Spanish spice throughout, it was revealing to see how different dancers can take the same basic ingredients and create a whole new experience.

Of course, everyone has a different palette and while some like it sweet, others like it spicy.  Actually, I quite like both and got both with Sanmarie Kreuzhuber and Shannon Glover, who each performed as Kitri on the two nights I attended (Kitri being the lead female role).

Sanmarie was a delight to watch with her strong technique, and she brought a touch of endearing sweetness to her character. In contrast, Shannon delivered a fantastic fieriness with her version of a sassy and flirty Kitri.

One for the men

Brooklyn Mack from The Washington Ballet performed Basilio as a guest artist.
Photo courtesy of South African Mzansi Ballet

As for the lead male role of Basilio, Brooklyn Mack (all the way from The Washington Ballet) partnered Sanmarie with dazzling strength and control, flashing a cheeky “yeah I got this” kind of grin after effortlessly completing a one-arm lift. And Michael Revie sure knows how to serve up some enormous jumps a la virtuoso!

Talking of jumps, the SA Mzansi Ballet took grand allegro and made it mucho grande, which is probably very bad grammar in Spanish, but you get the idea right? I mean big, really beeeg. And high, something that Luis de Castro knows all about.

Ay Caramba, that boy has jaw-dropping elevation! And I mean no disrespect by ‘boy’, but that was his character – ‘Creado’ the mischievous street boy – although he may as well have been the Pied Piper the way the audience followed him across the stage.

But while Luis grabs your attention with his too-many-to-count turns and jumps, others magnetised me with their perfectly polished poise. Never mind pirouettes, Australian Aaron Smyth had me just with his walk. He danced Espada (the macho lead toreador) with tremendous stage presence and what seemed to be an impeccable sense of timing.

For that matter the other Espada, Jonathan Rodrigues, had a similar quality to his dancing and I would’ve loved to see him dance as Basilio too.

Fumbles, falls and foibles?

Well yes, we saw some fumbles and a mis-step or three. Also, while the music for Don Quixote is lovely and lively, the actual recording seemed to be clipped unnaturally short at the ends. This lack of a smooth fade-out occasionally jolted us into a what-now? kind of awkward silence.

Ah, but then Aaron would confidently walk across the stage and suddenly all was well again in Sunny Spain. Any moments of unease were swiftly soothed by the charm of the cast in their blaze of bright and bold costumes.

Overall, the entire performance was a delicious feast for the senses, brimming with humour and brilliance.

And did I mention the beeeg jumps?

Encore

For the curious, here’s a clip of Aaron performing a variation from Don Quixote during the finals of the Prix de Lausanne competition back in 2010. Now you’ll see what I mean about that walk…

Cuban dancer, Claudia Monja, performing as Mercedes.
Photo courtesy of South African Mzansi Ballet

Feisty and funny – two adjectives the average person would not necessarily associate with classical ballet, but Don Quixote is certainly no average ballet classic.

And the South African Mzansi Ballet plan to show Johannesburg audiences just how they put these adjectives into motion when they bring us their production of Don Quixote at the Joburg Theatre from 8 to 24 March 2013.

What with macho Spanish toreadors, sassy girls, big jumps and bold dancing, it’s known to be a fast-paced and vibrant ballet, which tells the story of the triumph of young love over parental match-making.

International guest performers

Depending on the performance you attend, you may see US star Michaela DePrince, who featured in the movie First Position and first impressed Jo’burg audiences in 2012 for SAMB’s Le Corsaire.

Other returning guests are Australian Aaron Smyth, who recently danced with The Royal Ballet, and Brooklyn Mack from The Washington Ballet.

Cuban Collaboration

Thanks to a cultural exchange programme with the Cuban Ballet, also returning are five Cuban dancers who seem to be absolute naturals with virtuosity, which is of course a defining trait for the Don Quixote ballet.

The line-up features Michaela DePrince, Shannon Glover, Sanmarie Kreuzhuber, Angela Maree and Burnise Silvius as Kitri; and Luis de Castro, Randol Figueredo, Brooklyn Mack, Javier Monier, Michael Revie, Jonathan Rodrigues and Aaron Smyth as Basilio.

Booking details:

Dates: 8 to 24 March 2013
Venue: The Mandela at Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg
Tickets: From R100 to R336 from the Joburg Theatre here.