Dancing in Collaboration
JOBURG – The Joburg Ballet will be joining forces with a major Chinese ballet company for this year's 'Swan Lake' production.
Twenty-one dancers from the Liaoning Ballet Company of China will be arriving in Johannesburg in April to join forces with Joburg Ballet for their upcoming production of Swan Lake.
Swan Lake will be presented by the Joburg Ballet and the Liaoning Ballet of China, supported by SA’s Department of Arts and Culture, China’s Ministry of Culture and the Year of China in South Africa initiative.
The combination of Joburg Ballet, the Liaoning Ballet, guest stars from Cuba and the US as well as additional dancers appearing in this production will bring together an impressive regiment of 80 dancers.
The 21 dancers from the Liaoning Ballet will appear alongside Joburg Ballet’s dancers in principal, soloist and corps de ballet roles, with two performances during the season on Sunday 19 April at 3pm and Saturday 25 April at 7.30pm, featuring principal dancers from the Liaoning Ballet in the leading roles of Odette-Odile and the Prince.
Joburg Ballet CEO Dirk Badenhorst said that the 21 dancers from China are symbolic of the 21 years of democracy being celebrated this year in South Africa. “We are honoured to be partnering with the contingent of dancers from the Liaoning Ballet to mark the Year of China in South Africa. Our ties with the international ballet community, and in this case with the Liaoning Ballet, help us to achieve ever higher standards in our vision of presenting Joburg Ballet as a world-class African ballet company,” he said.
Artistic director of Joburg Ballet Iain MacDonald said the company looks forward to welcoming the dancers from the Liaoning Ballet. “China is now producing superb classical dancers, among the best in the world, and the fact that dancers from China, Cuba, Brazil, the United States, South Africa and elsewhere will be sharing the stage in Swan Lake is testament to classical ballet’s global reach and international appeal,” he said.
Upon his recent visit to the Joburg Ballet, China’s Minister of Culture, Luo Shugang, told China Central Television that he is very proud of China’s collaboration with South Africa. “Through ballet, China and South Africa can exchange this art and have corporate interaction. This way we can not only enhance the cultural relations between the two countries, but also enhance our friendship, because in such mutual learning lies the strength that binds us culturally,” he said.
