Despite his obviously serious (but fortunately temporary) foot injury, Khanya’s sheer joy and exuberance beamed out to every person lucky to be there that day. That was in February 2014.

But alas, without enough money to get to New York, sadly, he missed the cut-off date.

Overjoyed: Khanya Mandongana receives an Ailey School scholarship from co-director of the New York school, Melanie Person. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing

New opportunities, new challenges

Fast forward five months and on Wednesday evening, 25 June 2014, Khanya Mandongana will enter the stage again – sans crutches this time – to dance his way to another enormous opportunity offered to him: a scholarship to the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London. And this time, he’s going to do what he does best and dance all the way to his dream…

Khanya Mandongana performs in a high quality production with the Cape Junior Ballet. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing

Young bright things shine In the Spotlight

The Cape Junior Ballet Company presents ‘In the Spotlight’ at the Masque Theatre in Cape Town for six performances only, from Wednesday 25 June to Saturday 28 June. And like Khanya, this production includes Cape Town’s most talented ballet stars of the future. For an example of what to expect, read to the end to find the short video clip from their live performance and interviews on the Expresso TV show.

Ranging from ages 12 to 18, these athletic young dancers will showcase a mix of classical and contemporary works from both well-known and rising South African choreographers such as Robin Van Wyk, Brigitte Reeve, Nicolette Loxton, Kirsten Isenberg, Lindy Raizenberg, Natasha Rhoda, and premieres a specially choreographed contemporary piece by Yarisha Singh.

Tasha Ainsworth performs in Cape Junior Ballet’s In the Spotlight. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing

The Cape Junior Ballet (CJB) is the only ballet youth development company in Cape Town, and is the first of its kind. The young dancers are selected from surrounding dance schools in the Western Cape and the dancers are trained in ballet, contemporary and a variety of training techniques such as Pilates, Horton, repertoire, pointe, Gyrotonics and yoga. They come together on a Saturday afternoon at the UCT School of Dance and train with the professionals in the field of dance.

Going into battle for ballet and fighting for funding

Yarisha Singh’s new piece, Quest, is an expansion on the dance she choreographed for Khanya’s contemporary solo at the SAIBC in February. With the inspiration drawn from the soundtrack to The Last of the Mohicans, this piece sees Khanya as the male lead, leading into battle.

Rather appropriate as he fights to win his way to London…and then New York. Remember that Alvin Ailey scholarship? Recognising the enormous costs of moving from a South African township to the streets of Manhattan, the school has graciously offered to keep the scholarship on ice until 2016.

Help Khanya Mandongana on his ‘Quest’ to reach London and maybe even New York too. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing

If you feel inspired to help this talented young man advance to the best dance schools in the world, you can either contact his teacher and director of CJB, Dianne Cheesman (on 021 683 3564 or dichees@telkomsa.net), with ideas or donations to help cover some of Khanya’s costs; or you can book to see him and his fellow dancers in the spotlight.

Booking details:

Dates: 25, 26, 27 and 28 June 2014 at 19:30, plus matinee performances on 27 and 28 June at 15:30.
Venue: Masque Theatre, Muizenberg, Cape Town
Tickets: R80 (or R60 for the special schools matinee on Friday 27 June) via the Masque Theatre on 021 788 1898 or bookings@masquetheatre.co.za.

Now here’s that video – filmed on set at SABC’s Expresso Show on 24 June 2014 – with a short performance and interviews with Khanya, Dianne Cheesman and Mia Labuschagne (who has also received a scholarship to dance at the Central Ballet School in London in 2015). Enjoy.

Gold medallist ballerina Yuanyuan Zhang with partner Anpu Yuan (both from China) during the finals of the 2014 South African International Ballet Competition. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Following on from our Part 1 story (read it here), enjoy these photos from the Finals and Awards of the South African International Ballet Competition, held on the Saturday night of 22 February 2014 at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town.

Magical moments from the SAIBC Finals and Awards

Don’t squint, click on a photo to open the gallery and pin your favourite dance pics to Pinterest. Look out for more behind-the-scenes ballet competition photos and videos to follow… [Update: find the sneak peek backstage photo gallery in Part 3 here.]

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.