International young ballet stars head to SA
JOBURG - Ballet lovers should brace themselves for what is possibly the largest gathering of international dancers on South African stages.
Young Ballet Stars of the World, South Africa’s first international ballet gala event, will take place at Gold Reef City’s Lyric Theatre this month.
Presented by ballet entrepreneur Dirk Badenhorst, the performances will feature the Korean Youth Ballet Stars, dancers from Cuba’s National Ballet School, New York’s Youth America Grand Prix, and dancers from Switzerland, China, Brazil, Japan and South Africa.
Young Ballet Stars of the World will mark the culmination of the 2014 South African International Ballet Competition.
Competition medal winners will be joined by invited guests from South Africa and abroad to present four gala performances that will showcase the brilliance of these young stars on the verge of greatness, and give local audiences a rare glimpse into the future of international ballet.
The performances will also mark the first time that competition medal winners will travel to Joburg after the Cape Town-based competition, to perform for a wider South African audience.
“The ballet world has seen an explosion of phenomenal talent from dancers in their teens and early twenties, and the galas in South Africa offer a unique preview of greatness before these dancers take the world by storm,” said Badenhorst.
“The Young Ballet Stars of the World also highlights the growing acceptance among young dancers internationally of Johannesburg as South Africa’s ballet capital.”
The performances will take place on 25 and 26 February at the Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City, at 8pm.
Details: 0861 915 8000; www.computicket.com
