From New York to Moscow, St Petersburg to Paris, London to Tokyo, the words "international ballet gala" send a current of excitement, a tremor of expectation through audiences in entertainment capitals across the globe. They promise performances at their most glittering; events that will have audiences cheering international ballet stars as they set the stage alight with dancing both sophisticated and powerful.
Now it's South Africa's turn to welcome a galaxy of visiting ballet stars for the International Ballet Gala, at the GrandWest Arena in Cape Town for one night only, on 29 June followed by five performances at the Teatro at Montecasino from 7 to 10 July, 2011. This will be the first time ballet will be seen on the stages of these popular venues.
Some of the stars featured in the line-up will be winners from previous Cape Town International Ballet Competitions in 2008 and 2010, such as Alys Shee (Canada), Elza Leimane (Latvia), Hyo Jung Jun (South Korea), Nathan Chaney (US), Oscar Carmenates (Cuba), Raimond Martinov (Latvia), Sung Woo Han (South Korea) and Aaron Smythe (Australia). South African-based dancers include Michael Revie (Ireland), Kitty Phetla and Angela Malan. Andile Ndlovu, the joint winner of the Gold medal in the senior contemporary section in the 2008 CTIBC, returns to our stages from Washington DC, where he is a member of the Washington Ballet.
Presented jointly by the Cape Town International Ballet Competition and Mzansi Productions, both directed by Dirk Badenhorst, the International Ballet Gala will showcase some of the most dazzling ballet talent to visit South Africa.
Audiences can look forward to pas de deux and showpieces from such legendary ballets as Swan Lake, Le Corsaire, Don Quixote and The Nutcracker, blazing with all the passion, intensity and show-stopping brilliance for which ballet is admired and applauded the world over.
The International Ballet Gala will be presented in Cape Town at the GrandWest Arena on Wednesday, 29 June at 8pm and at the Teatro at Montecasino in Fourways in Johannesburg from 7 to 10 July with evening performances at 8pm and matinees on Saturday, 9 July at 3pm and on Sunday 10 July at 2pm. Tickets cost from R80 to R350 and booking is via Computicket or +27 (0)83 915 8000.
