Get ready to ride… to the Hermanus FynArts Festival to see Bovim Ballet perform on Saturday 7 June 2014.

The Hermanus FynArts festival is no staid or upper-crust affair, in fact, with its focus on arts, music and wine in one of the Cape’s most gorgeous landscapes, it looks set to be a rocking little festival. No surprise then that it attracted South Africa’s rock ballet company, Bovim Ballet, to present a programme of its hip-swinging ballet highlights on Saturday evening, 7 June 2014 at the Hermanus High School Hall. They’ll be hosting a dance workshop earlier on the same day too (more on that below).

Bovim Ballet has called this production Ovations and it’s aptly named considering it includes specially selected popular pieces and award-winning choreography from across the company’s five extraordinary full length ballets: Tango Nights, Swing Time, Romeo’s Kiss, Queen at the Ballet and Private Presley.

Bovim Ballet’s founder and choreographer, Sean Bovim, has found a way to introduce ballet to whole new audiences through his highly accessible and entertaining rock-style ballet. It’s ballet with a twist, and a jive. See for yourself in this video montage of some of Bovim Ballet’s productions.

The audience can expect a night of touching duets and toe-tapping trios and quartets, as well as big hits like Fever from Swing Time and Jailhouse Rock from Private Presley. Ovations dancers will include Henk Opperman, Tanya Futter, Faye Dubinski, Devon Marshbank, Nicola van der Merwe, Trevor Schoonraad, Elzanne Crause, James Bradley, Zandile Constable, Darren Greeff, Tammy van Houten, Steven van Wyk, Llewellyn Mnguni, Sven-Eric Müller, Simoné Botha and Javan Mattei.

Bovim Ballet brings you swirling duets as well as their beat-thumping group numbers. Why not learn some of the moves too during their FynArts workshop?

Ovations is a one-off performance at Hermanus FynArts, so make sure to book your tickets now and do whatever you can to get to Hermanus to see it.

Booking details for Ovations:

Date: Saturday 7 June 2014 at 19:30.
Venue: Hermanus High School School Hall, Hermanus (about 2 hours drive from Cape Town, including a mandatory and delightful stop at Peregrine Farmstall on the way).
Tickets: R50 for scholars and R120 for full price via WebTickets here or through Hermanus Tourism on 028 312 2629.
Find more information on Ovations on the FynArts website here.

Bovim Ballet’s dance workshop

If you’re looking for an entertaining and informative insight into dance and choreography, irrespective of your age or level of dance-ability, you’re invited to join the Bovim Ballet dancers in their fun winter school-style workshop from 11:00 to 12:00 on Saturday 7 June 2014 at the Hermanus High School.

This will also give you a great sneak peek into that evening’s Ovations performance.

Booking details for Dance Workshop:

Date: Saturday 7 June 2014 from 11:00 to 12:00.
Venue: Hermanus High School School Hall, Hermanus.
Tickets: R50 via WebTickets here or through Hermanus Tourism on 028 312 2629.
Find more information on this workshop on the FynArts website here.

Fusion of Arts Fest and Winter School at this year’s FynArts Festival

To further tempt your little inner travel bug, more reasons to get to Hermanus this June include 10 days of festival activities to choose from – from 6 to 16 June 2014 – including fabulous wine routes and tastings, music recitals, soirées and workshops, art exhibitions, demonstrations and talks, and quite a bit more (see the full festival programme here) all set in the truly breathtaking scenery of this seaside village.

A little piece of heaven on earth – visit the Hemel en Aarde Valley and you’ll soon discover the truth of its name.

As for the name FynArts, it’s a play on ‘fyn’ as in the fynbos of the region and the Afrikaans word for ‘fine’ as in ‘fine arts’ or ‘of high quality’. The festival takes place across galleries, hotels and special venues in the town of Hermanus, as well as in tasting rooms and wine farms along the wine routes in the adjoining Hemel en Aarde Valley.

Oh and did I mention the classic movies?

Vintage film screening of a classic ballet movie

Ballet and film lovers alike will want to book early for the screening of The Red Shoes, showing at the terribly quaint Romantiques vintage cinema on Monday 16 June 2014 at 15:00. This 1948 film about a ballerina’s love-torn life won two Oscar awards and is considered a landmark film for its integration of dance in storytelling. Here’s the movie trailer for you to enjoy…

Booking details for the screening of The Red Shoes:

Date: Monday 16 June 2014 at 15:00.
Venue: Romantiques, 14 Aberdeen Street, Hermanus.
Tickets: Call to book on 028 312 4226.
Find more information on this film screening on the FynArts website here.

Exciting new opportunities for Mami Fuji and Ramiro Samón, who will be performing for two performances in The Sleeping Beauty. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Due to injuries, Nehemiah Kish from The Royal Ballet has had to cancel his appearances in Cape Town City Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty, and as a result, The Royal Ballet ballerina, Roberta Marquez, will not be performing either.

However, this has opened up the fairy tale opportunity to a young ballerina from Japan, Mami Fuji, who will make her debut as Princess Aurora on 14 and 17 August. She will be partnered by Ramiro Samón from Cuba, who will make his debut in the role of Prince Florimund.

“The show must go on…”

“In true show business fashion, the show must go on, and Fuji and Samón have been invited to step in”, commented Prof Elizabeth Triegaardt, CTCB’s Executive Director.

“We are tremendously excited to present Mami Fuji in the role of Princess Aurora. Since joining the company in May, she has made quite an impression on us. This will be her big break, and we are thrilled that it will be happening during our season,” says Prof Triegaardt.

See Puss in Boots, the Big Bad Wolf and other fairy tale characters in Cape Town City Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

Keith MacKintosh, CTCB’s Artistic Executive, discovered Fuji when he attended a production of the English National Ballet School in 2012. He invited her to join Cape Town City Ballet for their production of Raymonda earlier this year and after her three month contract with the company expired, she was offered a full-time position with the company.

The Cuban-born Ramiro Samón was trained at the National Ballet School in Havana and is currently contracted with South African Mzansi Ballet in Johannesburg, where he recently appeared in their productions of Don Quixote (see the photos here) and the International Ballet Gala in honour of Alicia Alonso (with pictures here).

Updated principal casting:

•  Wednesday, 14 August at 19:30 (with CPO): Mami Fuji & Ramiro Samón
•  Friday, 16 August at 19:30 (recorded music): Burnise Silvius & Trevor Schoonraad
•  Saturday, 17 August at 14:00 (with CPO): Laura Bosenberg & Thomas Thorne
•  Saturday, 17 August at 19:30 (with CPO): Mami Fuji & Ramiro Samón
•  Sunday, 18 August at 15:00 (with CPO): Burnise Silvius & Trevor Schoonraad

The Lilac Fairy will be performed by Angela Hansford, Kim Vieira and Claire Spector, while the role of the wicked fairy Carabosse will be shared by Johnny Bovang and Mervyn Williams.

Booking details:

Dates: On until 18 August 2013
Venue: Artscape Opera House, Cape Town
Tickets: From R100 to R300 from Computicket or Artscape Dial-a-Seat on 021 421 7695.

Roberta Marquez as Princess Aurora. Photo by Bill Cooper courtesy of CTCB

Cape Town City Ballet has announced that two international stars from The Royal Ballet – Roberta Marquez and Nehemiah Kish – will perform in their upcoming production of The Sleeping Beauty at Artscape from 10 to 18 August 2013.

Roberta Marquez and Nehemiah Kish, both principal dancers for The Royal Ballet in Covent Garden, will grace the stage in the roles of Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund for two performances, which makes for a special scoop for Cape Town City Ballet (CTCB).

Kish was born in the USA, but has travelled the world as a guest artist in numerous ballets and special performances, including partnering Darcy Bussell at the 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony. He joined The Royal Ballet in 2010 and danced principal roles such as James in La Sylphide, Romeo (Romeo & Juliet), Prince (Cinderella, The Nutcracker) and Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake).

The award-winning Marquez, originally from Brazil, has been a principal with The Royal Ballet since 2004 and has starred in roles such as Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), the title role in Cinderella, Swanhilda (Coppélia) and of course Princess Aurora from The Sleeping Beauty.

Nehemia Kish of The Royal Ballet will perform as Prince Florimund in Cape Town. Photo by Bill Cooper courtesy of CTCB.

The most iconic kiss of all time

It’s the classic romantic happily-ever-after story of the beautiful princess, an evil spell by the wicked fairy, and a kiss from her handsome prince that sets her free.

Set to the enchanting tunes of Tchaikovsky, the CTCB says they are creating an opulent production of this classic ballet with beautiful sets and costumes, and certain performances are accompanied by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) too.

Casting of lead roles:

With Kish and Marquez dancing the lead prince and princess roles in two performances, the remaining four performances will alternate between Cape Town City Ballet’s principal dancers, Laura Bosenberg and Thomas Thorne, and with Burnise Silvius, principal dancer from South African Mzanzi Ballet, partnered by CTCB’s Trevor Schoonraad.

The Lilac Fairy will be performed by Angela Hansford, Kim Vieira and Claire Spector, while the role of the wicked fairy Carabosse will be shared by Johnny Bovang and Mervyn Williams.

• Saturday, 10 August at 19:30 (recorded music): Laura Bosenberg & Thomas Thorne
• Wednesday, 14 August at 19:30 (with CPO): Roberta Marquez & Nehemiah Kish
• Friday, 16 August at 19:30 (recorded music): Burnise Sylvius & Trevor Schoonraad
• Saturday, 17 August at 14:00 (with CPO): Laura Bosenberg & Thomas Thorne
• Saturday, 17 August at 19:30 (with CPO): Roberta Marquez & Nehemiah Kish
• Sunday, 18 August at 15:00 (with CPO): Burnise Sylvius & Trevor Schoonraad

But before you click off to book (details below), first watch the lovely Roberta Marquez in this entertaining and animated Ribbon pas de deux (with Steven McRae) from The Royal Ballet’s La fille mal gardée.

Booking details:

Dates: 10 to 18 August 2013
Venue: Artscape Opera House, Cape Town
Tickets: From R100 to R300 from Computicket or Artscape Dial-a-Seat on 021 421 7695.

Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing courtesy of Bovim Ballet.

Due to the success of Private Presley – Bovim Ballet’s latest Rock-‘n-Roll ballet – this toe-tapping tribute to the king is back in Cape Town for a second season, this time at the Baxter Theatre from 4 to 15 June 2013 with a few new faces in the lead roles.

“I am so excited to reveal some of South Africa’s newest rising stars in our second run of Private Presley,” said Sean Bovim.

“It is gratifying to be able to respond to the immense demand that we received for another run so soon after the first one. We’ve been told there were some people who saw the show 3 or 4 times!”

Getting all shook up all over again

Take over 20 of Elvis Presley’s greatest hits and bring to the stage 17 multi-talented dancers, dressed by top International fashion designers Ian West, Craig Port and KLÛK/CGDT, and you have something quite extraordinary – especially considering that these ballerinas are rocking and jiving en pointe!

In fact, click over to this Private Presley photo gallery and take a peek at some of the Elvis action for yourself.

Fresh casting

Bovim Ballet claims the roles will be expertly filled by some of South Africa’s most sought after dancers, such as Trevor Schoonraad portraying Elvis and Nicola Van der Merwe performing as Priscilla, with the role of Natalie being danced by Simoné Botha (Miss Deaf SA 2012).

Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing courtesy of Bovim Ballet.

The rest of the talented cast includes James Bradley (Nick), Devon Marshbank (Billy), Faye Dubinski (Juliet), Tanya Futter (Ann-Margret), Grant Van Ster, Zandile Constable, Llewellyn Mnguni, Ché Milani, Martin Harding, Chris Ncekana, JV Mattei, Michele La Trobe, Tamryn Van Houten and Gillian Upsher.

Here are a few of the critics’ comments following Private Presley’s first run (at the Artscape Theatre during April 2013):

“The show is a hit…..Gripping Performance” – City Press

“Treat fit for a King” – Cape Times

“Visually Striking” – Cape Argus

“Technically Perfect and Artistically Delightful” – FANBASE Magazine

Booking details:

Dates: 4 – 15 June 2013, Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8pm with a matinee performance on Sunday 9 June at 3pm.
Venue: Baxter Theatre, Cape Town
Tickets: from R150 to R220 through Computicket or directly by calling the Baxter Theatre on 021 685 7880. A 10% discount is available to Pensioners and Students.