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La Traviata – The Ballet, choreographer Veronica Paeper’s powerful retelling of the moving story of the Lady of the Camellias opened last Friday, and comments, reviews and accolades have poured in. *Friday night was opening night. The night that almost wasn't, thanks to Eskom ending loadshedding late. However, the audience and Joburg Ballet were both keen to do this and magic was made when City Power finally relented. Camille was danced, exquisitely, by principal dancer, Shannon Glover, and she was partnered by the equally talented hunk, Revil Yon. Moira De Swardt *Kudos to Joburg Ballet and ...

It was the arrival of the cold weather that prompted Joburg Ballet Artistic Director Iain MacDonald to propose the idea of a drive to collect blankets, scarves and socks for those in need to Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema, CEO of Joburg Theatre. Iain explained: “I was driving to work one day when I saw a man asleep on the street with nothing covering him other than the clothes he wore. It was particularly cold that day and I knew there and then that we had to do something. Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema and Justine Lipson from the Joburg Theatre didn’t hesitate when I proposed this idea. A big thank you goes t...

With the lifting this week by the Minister of Health of all Covid-19 regulations, the Joburg Theatre has been opened to full capacity for the forthcoming performances of La Traviata -The Ballet for the first time since March 2020. The wearing of masks at the theatre is now optional and there will be no signing-in procedures and taking of temperatures; no proof of vaccination is required. The theatre will continue to provide hand sanitizer for the optional use of theatre patrons. The lifting of socially distanced seating in the theatre will not in any way impact bookings that have already been...

The dancer in the image is Shannon Glover and the photographer is Lauge Sorensen. Info for La Traviata-The Ballet is as follows: Performance dates and times: Friday 1 July at 18h30 (Standard prices) Saturday 2 July at 15h00 (Standard prices) Sunday 3 July at 15h00 (Standard prices) Wednesday 6 July at 11h00 (Morning prices) Friday 8 July at 18h30 (Standard prices) Saturday 9 July at 15h00 (Standard prices) Saturday 9 July at 18h30 (Standard prices) Sunday 10 July at 15h00 (Standard prices) Venue: Joburg Theatre Standard Ticket Prices: R475, R410, R375, R275, R200 (applicable to all perform...

Joburg Ballet kicks off the company’s 21st Anniversary year with Evolve, a celebration of dance to be presented for eight performances at the Joburg Theatre from 25 March to 3 April. Evolve, the first of Joburg Ballet’s three main celebratory seasons this year, offers a scintillating blend of the new and the classical, bringing together four ballets, three of them world premieres, as well as a glittering showpiece from the classical repertoire. Evolve was to have been presented in 2021 but due to an escalation in Covid-19 cases was postponed to 2022. The new works are The Afterlife: Soul...

When, in 2001, South African Ballet Theatre, the company which today is known as Joburg Ballet, was founded the hopes of the founding members of the new ballet company were optimistic. But how confident were we in our heart of hearts about the sustained growth and longer term survival of the company? With the raw and painful memories of having seen PACT Ballet, a great South African ballet company of 37 years’ standing, extinguished in a single day, we set to work. There can be no denying that the past 21 years have not been without tremendous challenges but as we celebrate our 21st anniversa...

It is indeed a wonder that we stand in these beautiful studios this morning to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Joburg Ballet. It has gone through several name changes, but it is as Joburg Ballet that the company will continue to be known in recognition of the grant awarded to the company by the City of Johannesburg since 2013. Why a wonder? The lack of funding from the government since 2000 has made it difficult for full time companies to survive and flourish in the arts sector. The fact that Joburg Ballet still stands today is testimony to the commitment and dedication of the many artists, ...