If you haven't attended this prestigious event before, make sure you don't miss it this year. Besides honouring the country's top creatives for their creative excellence, the evening will be jam-packed with sizzling entertainment, delectable food and a goody bag filled with gifts with the compliments of the sponsors. And to lift the spirit a notch or two, each table will sport a free bottle of red and white wine from Leopard's Leap, as well as a bottle of sparkling wine from KWV.
With artists like Riana Nel, Kurt Herman, LeAnne Dlamini and the Mzanzi Youth Choir, whose music and performances will set the stage on fire, the Pendoring gala event promises to be something to write home about.
Riana Nel
One of the big names in Afrikaans music with hits like "Die Moeite Werd', "Dans", "Tweede Kans" en "Weier", Riana Nel, has won the hearts of many a South African and has established herself as one of the most talented song writers. Her album Die Regte Tyd was the best seller in South Africa in 2014 with sales of more than 62,000, and her latest album Die Moeite Werd has already sold more than 100,000 copies.
Kurt Herman
Kurt Herman's extraordinary talent as an actor, singer and dancer has earned him the lead role in the hit musical Kat and the Kings. After extensive local hit performances, the musical went on to tour Europe and the UK for three years playing to full houses, often receiving standing ovations. Not only did the musical win the Laurence Oliver Award for "Best Musical" but also the award for "Best Actors in a Musical" in 2000.
LeAnne Dlamini
South African singer/songwriter LeAnne Dlamini rocketed to fame on the back of the success of her debut album Simply Luvlee, which won her a Metro FM award for Best Female R&B Album in 2011. She has performed in opening acts for international stars such as Akon, Mika, Fat Joe, Kanye West, Sean Paul, Joss Stone, Snoop Dogg and Pharell Williams. She subsequently released a second album -The Journey. LeAnne partnered Johannes Radebe last year for season 7 of Strictly Come Dancing and ended third.
The Mzansi Youth Choir, with its exquisite youthful sound, sensational choreography, pulsating energy and vibrancy, is widely regarded as the best show choir in the country. Witnessing one of their performances is an experience not to be missed! Highlights of their performances include the One World Music Festival, M-Net Idols, Huisgenoot Skouspel, Starlight Classics, The Presidential Inauguration, KKNK, The National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, The South African Music Awards, as well as a performance with Andrea Bocelli.
Although Pendoring focuses on Afrikaans this year - it is, after all, Afrikaans 90th year as an official language - it also celebrates the diversity of all the indigenous languages. To this end, Brenda Wilson and her team from the agency First Pencil composed a song titled "Dankie Babel", which will be sung by Melissa Allison. Cute clay characters, each representing one of the indigenous languages, have been created to bring the song to life in an animation format.
Seeing that Pendoring celebrates its 20th birthday this year, the Pendoring gala event will be even more spectacular than before, says Theofista Ellis, renowned director and force behind the production. "It will be exciting, colourful and up-beat with special effects - a real joy ride. For the first time we will be using a huge LED screen (8 m x 4 m) for the audio-visual presentation."
Nadia Beukes
The two MCs this year are Martin Bester, radio presenter at Jacaranda 94.2, and the actress Nadia Beukes, presenter of the reality programme Boer Soek 'n Vrou as well as Groot Ontbyt on kykNET. Beukes is also well known for her roles in the TV shows Villa Rosa, Hartland, Binnelanders and Getroud met Rugby on kykNET.
The proverbial cherry on top will be the ever popular after-party in the dome where everybody can let their hair down and party until they drop. With DJ Duanne Rockwell to set the pace and fire up the party, the evening promises to end on a high note.
However, at the end of the day, the evening belongs to the advertising creatives whose winning work in the various Pendoring categories will be awarded and celebrated.
- This year the prize for the overall winner is an overseas study trip worth R100,000.
- The winner of the Umpetha Award for the best advertising in any of the indigenous languages, other than Afrikaans, will get R20,000 cash.
- The winners of each category will receive a gold Pendoring trophy and R6,000, and the runners-up will each receive a silver Pendoring and R2,500.
- The top student will receive R10,000 and an internship at Etiket for 2016.
Tickets for the Pendoring gala event are now available from Corrie le Roux (az.oc.aidemtnarbiv@eirroc or 011 880 5202). Students qualify for a 25% discount on tickets. The deadline for booking tickets is 19 October.
