Cuban-born dancers, Claudia Monja and Juan Carlos Osma perform their debut leading roles as Kitri and Basilio. Photo by Lauge Sorensen

Don Quixote is known to be one of the most lively, big, bold and vibrant ballets, and we should be expecting exciting things from Joburg Ballet who love to snatch every opportunity to show off their virtuoso skills. Don Quixote opens at the Joburg Theatre tonight, 28 August, and runs until 13 September 2015, but with a few surprises in the casting.

Ramiro Samón was quite literally the poster boy in the company’s advertising for their previous production of Don Quixote.

One sad farewell and some happy hellos

Regular Joburg Ballet fans will notice from the casting below that one of their favourite virtuoso dancers is missing from the line-up.

For all those watching his growth over the last few years, Ramiro Samón has been a strong and steady rising star, winning a gold medal at the 2014 South African International Ballet Competition and consistently wowing audiences with his tremendous strength – I mean those cabrioles of his were just ridiculous, see it in the video here!

There was an almost tangible sense about him that he would never settle for less than technical perfection. And perhaps because of that, he’s been offered a wonderful opportunity with a contract in Toulouse and Joburg Ballet has wished him a sad, but very warm farewell for his adventures ahead. Chukkas, Ramiro!

But of course, Joburg Ballet has no shortage of very strong male lead dancers. In fact, for the first time during their previous season of Swan Lake, they had more lead male dancers than lead role openings.

To add to this, the company has also invited two exciting guest artists to join the season. Returning to South Africa, popular guests, Aaron Smyth from Australia and Jonhal Fernández from the National Ballet of Ecuador will alternately perform in the lead roles partnered with Joburg Ballet’s own prima ballerina, Burnise Silvius, who will in turn also have one performance with Joburg Ballet’s Randol Figueredo.

Jonhal Fernández from the National Ballet of Ecuador will be performing as a guest artist with Joburg Ballet’s Burnise Silvius.

From injuries to special moment debuts

While Jonathan Rodrigues – another of Joburg Ballet’s popular lead males – has been recovering following an injury (and fans will be happy to know that he’s now almost 100% recovered), this has opened the opportunity for the tall Cuban dancer, Juan Carlos Osma, to mark his debut as the dashing Basilio. He will partner with fellow Cuban, Claudia Monja, who will headline the opening night in her first ever performance in the role of Kitri.

Principal dancers Shannon Glover and Michael Revie will also perform as the leading Spanish lovers. And among other roles in the production, Mercedes will be danced by Burnise Silvius, Claudia Monja, Nicole Ferreira-Dill and Kirstel Jensen, while the toreador Espada will be danced by Aaron Smyth, Juan Carlos Osma, Jonathan Rodrigues and Michael Revie.

Casting for Joburg Ballet’s Don Quixote 2015:

For the roles of Kitri, Basilio, Mercedes, Espada, Amour and Queen of the Dryads. Casting subject to change.

• Fri 28 Aug 19:30: Monja, Osma, Silvius, Smyth, Acuna, Ferreira-Dill
• Sat 29 Aug 15:00: Silvius, Smyth, Monja, Osma, Dewey, Ferreira-Dill
• Sun 30 Aug 15:00: Glover, Revie, Ferreira-Dill, Rodrigues, Acuna, Monja
• Tue 1 Sep 11:00: Silvius, Figueredo, Jensen, Revie, Gerber, Glover
• Sat 5 Sep 15:00: Monja, Osma, Glover, Revie, Gerber, Ferreira-Dill
• Sun 6 Sep 15:00: Silvius, Smyth, Phetla, Osma, Jensen, Glover
• Fri 11 Sep 19:30: Glover, Revie, Ferreira-Dill, Rodrigues, Dewey, Monja
• Sat 12 Sep 15:00: Silvius, Fernandez, Monja, Osma, Jensen, Monja
• Sun 13 Sep 15:00: Monja, Osma, Glover, Smyth, Acuna, Ferreira-Dill

To whet your appetite for this Spanish feast, here’s a sneak peek video compilation filmed by Lauge Sorensen at this week’s dress rehearsal:

Don Quixote at Joburg Theatre from Lauge Sorensen on Vimeo.

Booking details:

Dates: Friday 28 August – Sunday 13 September 2015.
Venue: Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Tickets: from R100 to R400 via JoburgTheatre.com or 0861 670 670

Joburg Ballet’s prima ballerina Burnise Silvius will perform the pas de deux with Ramiro Samon from the dazzling Don Quixote. Photo by Susanne Holbaek

For three performances only, Joburg Ballet are visiting a new venue with a shorter one-hour programme at a smaller price-point, aiming to take the best ballet highlights to more people. And with an impressive sounding line-up of popular dance pieces, you might want to take up the opportunity too at the Roodepoort Theatre this weekend on 10 and 11 July.

The company’s prima ballerina, Burnise Silvius, will perform the Don Quixote Pas de Deux partnered by Ramiro Samón from Cuba, who was last year’s SA International Ballet Competition gold medal winner (see the video below). Alternating these roles will be principal dancers Shannon Glover and Michael Revie.

Javier Monier in a virtuoso performance of Diana and Acteon. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing

Other classical ballet pas de deux include The Flames of Paris with Shana Dewey and Ramiro Samón, Satanella with Dayana Acuna and Javier Monier, and Diana and Acteon where Burnise Silvius and Ramiro Samón will share the roles with Dayana Acuna and Javier Monier.

Along with highlights from Swan Lake, La Sylphide and La Bayadère, there will also be two romantic short ballets by artistic director Iain MacDonald, including one danced to Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz – one of the most famous pieces of music in the world.

But it’s not all about the classics, rounding off the programme are three items with South African music, choreography or themes: Gauteng to music by Miriam Makeba, Jantjie to music by Anton Goosen, and Fearless by young SA choreographer, John Tsunke.

And if you still need a little more convincing, watch this short video of the powerful, controlled performance that helped win the gold medal for Ramiro Samón. This was his Satanella variation at the 2014 South African International Ballet Competition.

Booking details:

Dates: Friday 10 July 2015 at 8pm; Saturday 11 July 2015 at 3pm and 8pm
Venue: Roodepoort City Theatre, Roodepoort (you’ll find the directions here)
Tickets: R140 to R170 from www.roodepoorttheatre.com or phone 0861 670 670.

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

South African prima ballerina, Burnise Silvius, with Jonathan Rodrigues and dancers from Joburg Ballet in front of the company’s grand new sets designed by Andrew Botha. Photo by Lauge Sorensen

With an impressively large cast of over 80 dancers hailing from Cuba, China, Brazil, the United States and South Africa, Joburg Ballet is readying itself for what it claims is the “largest and grandest” production of Swan Lake South Africa has yet seen, taking place at Joburg Theatre from 17 April to 3 May 2015.

It’s a big claim that’s bound to raise the eyebrows of the competition (St Petersburg Ballet Theatre are performing Swan Lake in Johannesburg and Cape Town in May). But with Joburg Ballet’s knack for always finding innovative ways to surprise and delight, we’re rather keen to see what they’ve got hidden in those wings.

For a start, the ballet company has announced a very peculiar, but creatively enticing decision regarding their casting for the opening night. Each act will see a different leading couple perform the roles of Odette/Odile and the Prince, giving the audience an absolutely unique opportunity to enjoy the performances of the international guests as well as Joburg Ballet’s own principal dancers in sequence in one night.

While this might mess with classical purists’ sense of calm and continuity, the exposure to more dancers with their individual interpretations and style is bound to be an interesting take on a Swan Lake opening night.

Commenting on this decision, Joburg Ballet CEO Dirk Badenhorst said, “We decided to make the opening night of Swan Lake a gala event, partly to celebrate having all of our friends from around the world here dancing with us and partly to showcase everything this collaborative run will offer to the high profile audience – which includes government ministers, ambassadors and other dignitaries from South Africa, China, Cuba and the US – on the first night.”

Cuban prima ballerina Viengsay Valdes with partner José Losada performing a black swan variation at the International Ballet Gala in Johannesburg 2013. Photo by Sarah Weyman

Dancing stars from across the globe

So who are these leading dancers sharing the stage?

From Cuba, you’ll see prima ballerina Viengsay Valdés from the National Ballet of Cuba partnering with US ballet star Brooklyn Mack from The Washington Ballet, who is always a popular crowd-raising guest on the South African stage.

Miss Valdés is also a returning visitor to South Africa and gave an electric performance of the black swan during the International Ballet Gala of 2013. She’s known for her remarkable sense of balance and performed six pirouette turns leading into fouettes! See for yourself in the video below.

From China, the Liaoning Ballet’s prima ballerina, Yu Chuanya, will perform with her partner Ma Ming. And South Africa’s own prima ballerina, Joburg Ballet’s beautiful Burnise Silvius dances with the dapper Brazilian Jonathan Rodrigues. It’s the United Nations on one stage in one night.

Missed opening night? Here’s the casting for the rest of the production for you to take your pick (casting subject to change).

Casting for Joburg Ballet’s Swan Lake 2015

April 2015:

• Friday 17, 19:30: Gala Performance with Joburg Ballet stars and visiting guest stars
• Saturday 18, 15:00: Burnise Silvius (Odette-Odile), Jonathan Rodrigues (Prince)
• Saturday 18, 19:30: Nicole Ferreira-Dill (Odette), Claudia Monja (Odile), Juan Carlos Osma (Prince)
• Sunday 19, 15:00: Dancers from the Liaoning Ballet of China
• Tuesday 21, 11:00: Claudia Monja (Odette-Odile), Juan Carlos Osma (Prince) – Edutainment Performance
• Friday 24, 19:30: Viengsay Valdés (Odette-Odile), Brooklyn Mack (Prince)
• Saturday 25, 15:00: Burnise Silvius (Odette-Odile), Jonathan Rodrigues (Prince)
• Saturday 25, 19:30: Dancers from the Liaoning Ballet of China
• Sunday 26, 11:00: Kirstel Jensen (Odette-Odile), Michael Revie (Prince) – Edutainment Performance
• Sunday 26, 15:00: Viengsay Valdés (Odette-Odile), Brooklyn Mack (Prince)
• Tuesday 28, 11:00: Nicole Ferreira-Dill (Odette-Odile), Juan Carlos Osma (Prince) – Edutainment Performance

May 2015:

• Friday 1, 19:30: Burnise Silvius (Odette-Odile), Jonathan Rodrigues (Prince)
• Saturday 2, 15:00: Kirstel Jensen (Odette-Odile), Michael Revie (Prince)
• Saturday 2, 19:30: Shannon Glover (Odette-Odile), Ramiro Samón (Prince)
• Sunday 3, 15:00: Burnise Silvius (Odette-Odile), Brooklyn Mack (Prince)

Now brace yourself for this, partly because of the poor video quality, but don’t worry, the other ‘partly’ has to do with such astounding dancing that you can easily forgive the amateur footage…

Booking details:

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.)

Held at Cape Town’s Artscape Theatre from 18 to 22 February 2014, the SAIBC attracted 70 dance participants from around the world to compete for medals and cash prizes in contemporary dance and classical ballet.

If you missed it, see the full story and the big winners in our part 1 story here, and enjoy the photo highlights from the competition finals in part 2 here. Or simply click ahead on a picture below to open the gallery and view the backstage photos in full size.

Ramiro Samón in his gold medal winning variation from Satanella at the 2014 South African International Ballet Competition in Cape Town in February. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Bringing the top prize back to Johannesburg, senior gold medal winner from the recent South African International Ballet Competition, Ramiro Samón, rejoins the Joburg Ballet cast along with fellow Cuban and silver medallist, Javier Monier, as the company prepares for its production of Coppélia, opening at Joburg Theatre on 7 March 2014.

Both competition medallists will perform in the lead male role (as Franz) in classical ballet’s much-loved comedy, interchanging with Joburg Ballet’s other principal men such as Michael Revie, Jonathan Rodrigues, Carlos Santos and Randol Figueredo.

Joburg Ballet’s leading ladies to perform the role of Swanhilda will include prima ballerina Burnise Silvius and principals Shannon Glover, Angela Revie and Lindé Wessels. See the casting details and dates below.

Coppélia tells the story of an old toymaker who mistakenly believes he’s breathed life into his most beautiful mechanical doll, naturally with comical repercussions. The full cast of 40 dancers delivers all the romance, jealousy, intrigue and of course comedy that makes this ballet one of the much loved classics in the ballet world.

Javier Monier receives his silver medal in the senior classical division at the 2014 South African International Ballet Competition. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Casting for Coppélia:

Casting for the roles of Swanhilda, Franz and Dr Coppelius are subject to change.

• Friday 7 March, 19:30: Burnise Silvius, Michael Revie, Jacob Mosehla.
• Saturday 8 March, 15:00: Shannon Glover, Ramiro Samón, Luis de Castro.
• Saturday 8 March, 19:30: Angela Revie, Javier Monier, Luis de Castro.
• Sunday 9 March, 11:00: Burnise Silvius, Michael Revie, Chase Bosch.
• Sunday 9 March, 15:00: Shannon Glover, Jonathan Rodrigues, James Fraser.
• Tuesday 11 March, 11:00: Lindé Wessels, Carlos Santos, Jacob Mosehla.
• Friday 14 March, 19:30: Angela Revie, Randol Figueredo, Luis de Castro.
• Saturday 15 March, 15:00: Burnise Silvius, Michael Revie, Chase Bosch.
• Sunday 16 March, 15:00: Shannon Glover, Jonathan Rodrigues, James Fraser.
• Tuesday 18 March, 11:00: Lindé Wessels, Carlos Santos, Chase Bosch.
• Friday 21 March, 19:30: Shannon Glover, Ramiro Samón, Jacob Mosehla.
• Saturday 22 March, 15:00: Burnise Silvius, Randol Figueredo, Luis de Castro.
• Sunday 23 March, 15:00: Angela Revie, Javier Monier, Jacob Mosehla.

Booking details:

Dates: 7 – 23 March 2014
Venue: The Mandela at Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg
Tickets: From R100 to R450 via wwwJoburgTheatre.com

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.

Fairy-tale dreams with Shannon Glover and Jonathan Rodrigues in SAMB’s all-new Cinderella. Photo by Bill Zurich.

Johannesburg audiences will have a choice of four ballerinas alternating in the title role of South African Mzansi Ballet’s all-new production of Cinderella, which opens on Friday 13 September 2013 at the Joburg Theatre.

SAMB’s principal dancers, Burnise Silvius and Michael Revie. Photo by Bill Zurich.

Won, two, three, four…

Across this 11-performance season, the local SAMB stars – Burnise Silvius, Shannon Glover and Lindé Wessels – will share Cinderella’s magical coach with international guest dancer, Jin Ho Won from South Korea. (Read more about Won here: Gold medalist guest ballerina arrives in SA.)

The source of the magic in the story, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, will be danced by Nicole Ferreira, Lindé Wessels, Sanmarie Kreuzhuber, Claudia Monja and Kitty Phetla; while the dashing Prince Charming will be danced by Jonathan Rodrigues, Michael Revie and Ramiro Samón.

Providing the comic flamboyance to the story, Cinderella’s two Ugly Sisters will be pranced, ahem, I mean danced by men, with Luis de Castro, Chase Bosch, Javier Monier, Carlos Santos, Keke Chele and Randol Figueredo getting their drag on in alternating performances.

And adding the high jinks (and high jumps) will be the Jesters danced by Javier Monier, Randol Figueredo, Luis de Castro and Chase Bosch.

Casting Summary

Here’s the quick casting guide for Cinderella and her Prince:

• 

  See visiting star, South Korean Jin Ho Won as Cinderella. Photo courtesy of SAMB.

  Friday 13 September at 19:30: Burnise Silvius & Jonathan Rodrigues

• Saturday 14 September at 15:00: Jin Ho Won & Michael Revie
• Saturday 14 September at 19:30: Lindé Wessels & Jonathan Rodrigues
• Sunday 15 September at 11:00: Shannon Glover & Ramiro Samón
• Sunday 15 September at 15:00: Jin Ho Won & Michael Revie
• Tuesday 17 September at 11:00: Lindé Wessels & Jonathan Rodrigues (School Performance)
• Saturday 21 September at 15:00: Shannon Glover & Ramiro Samón
• Sunday 22 September at 15:00: Burnise Silvius & Jonathan Rodrigues
• Friday 27 September at 19:30: Jin Ho Won & Michael Revie
• Saturday 28 September at 15:00: Shannon Glover & Ramiro Samón
• Sunday 29 September at 15:00: Burnise Silvius & Michael Revie

Cinderella booking details:

Dates: 13 to 29 September 2013
Venue: Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg
Tickets: From R189 to R336 from www.joburgtheatre.com