Durban’s Playhouse Company is presenting It’s Beautiful at The Ballet as part of its Christmas celebrations at the Opera Theatre next month.
Fresh from a triumphant season in Cape Town last month, where it met with standing ovations, It’s Beautiful at The Ballet is a collaboration of dance featuring pieces by leading SA choreographers Veronica Paeper, Sean Bovim, Adele Blank and Dane Hurst. There will be live accompaniment by the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Eddie Clayton.
“It is with great pleasure that we bring our audiences this wonderful bouquet of dance,” says Lynda Bukhosini, Playhouse Company chief executive and artistic director.
“Ballet is one of the most taxing of all genres for the performer. For audiences, though, the experience is one of sheer exhilaration and beauty.”
It’s Beautiful at The Ballet is a celebration of the ideas that have been expressed about this art form.
Some are inspiring, some are down to earth, some are revealing, and some are amusing.
They each have something to say to the audience.
Veronica Paeper has been dancer, resident choreographer, and artistic director of CAPAB Ballet, which she was instrumental in transforming into the Cape Town City Ballet Company.
Now retired, the multi-award-winner reproduces her ballets, and still feels she has a few more she should create.
Sean Bovim danced with CAPAB Ballet and moved on to directing his own company, Bovim Ballet. He choreographed Queen at the Ballet to tremendous acclaim as well as SwingTime and Private Presley. He has received awards for his ballets which are “athletic, challenging and always evolving”.
Adele Blank was a dancer with PACT when she discovered “modern dance” and the Graham Technique. She has choreographed for many companies including her own, Free Flight Company.
She has been recognised with several awards and is renowned for her work with young dancers.
Dane Hurst has travelled extensively, won prestigious awards, and starred and choreographed in numerous films.
A MA Choreography graduate from Kent University Central School of Ballet, he regularly choreographs abroad, and recently became artistic director of Jazzart, the Cape Town contemporary dance troupe.
Robyn Taylor of the South African National Dance Trust, which produced the show, said: “This is no ordinary programme of disconnected short works.
“Actor Ashley Dowds threads them together by prefacing each with quirky dance-related quotes, such as Twyla Tharp’s ‘dancing is like a bank robbery; it takes split second timing’.”
It’s Beautiful at The Ballet has three performances only on December 22 at 2pm and 6pm and December 23 at 3pm. Booking advised. Tickets: R100-R150 from WebTickets.
The Independent on Saturday