The Russian School of Ballet in Joburg North was proud to present three concerts showcasing the hard work of their dancers at the Roodepoort Theatre recently.
Director and founder of the Russian School of Ballet Yana Auger said that children and their parents were overjoyed that the dancers could be on stage again following the year of lockdown restrictions.
Auger explained that the school had to prepare three separate concerts to limit the number of children backstage and on stage and the number of parents in the audience. Auger said, “It was a very emotional experience seeing our dancers back on stage, dressed in their costumes, looking beautiful, excited and happy!
“The hope of being back on stage one day as well as their love for ballet kept students going during the lockdown months, where they took classes on Zoom in restricted home spaces.”
All classes at present function in a hybrid mode with some dancers in studio and others at home on Zoom. “We have students from all around South Africa joining our lessons,” said Auger.
She explained that the Johannesburg-based students have the freedom of joining classes on Zoom if they cannot attend in person for whatever reason.
Auger said that the school abides by all the Covid-19 precautions maintaining social distancing and wearing masks. “Our main focus is to keep dance lessons going in the safest environment possible.”
Parent Tony Payne, father of nine-year-old dancer Cameron Payne, said, “Having our daughter dance since the age of three, each concert is a joy to watch! She is now nine, and seeing the creative, emotional, neuromuscular and postural development she and her group has undergone is extraordinary!”
Payne said, “In this concert, she danced a contemporary solo, which was incredible to watch – her emotional interpretation of and timing with the music was very moving to us. We look forward to attending future concerts.”
Details: For more information, send an email to yana@russianschoolofballet.com
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