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.

Five minutes on stage will change their lives forever…

To find out more about the movie, the dancers and their dreams, read the story here.

Click on a picture to open the gallery.

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.

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.