Young ballet pupil to compete in Cape Town
EMMARENTIA – Nehanda Peguillan chooses ballet as her career.
Nehanda Peguillan (14) from Emmarentia will take part in the prestigious SA International Ballet Competition taking place at Artscape Theatre in Cape Town from 23 to 28 February.
The Grade 9 pupil from Reddford House in Fairland started her dancing career in June 2013 when she chose dancing as a subject.
“Dancing and singing are also part of our school subjects. I decided to choose dancing because I knew I am a born dancer and loving it,” she said.
She said her first competition was at the East Rand Festival where she performed very well.
Peguillan holds two dancing trophies, 11 certificates and and one silver medal.
The young girl is happy that she is part of the big competition.
The MMC for Tourism, Events and Economic Development, Councillor Garreth Bloor, said, “While ballet is a highly technical form of dance, it is also an art combining grace and movement.”
He said, “As such it has the power to draw audiences in and provide not just entertainment, but is a window into the world of theatre, music and dance. Ballet is often the foundation of many other dance genres and the City of Cape Town is proud to support the art.”
As Africa’s only international ballet competition, the SAIBC was launched in 2008 with subsequent competitions in 2010, 2012 and 2014, attracting dancers from SA and around the world to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals as well as substantial monetary prizes.
The categories in which dancers compete, in both ballet and contemporary dance, are pupils: (12 to 15 years), juniors (16 to 20 years) and seniors (21 to 28 years).
The total prize money amounts to R400 000 and thus far, the competition has attracted dancers from our country, South Korea, Latvia, the USA, Mexico, Cuba and Europe, the largest group of competitors yet.
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