Evolve promises to be a scintillating blend of new and classical ballet
BRAAMFONTEIN – The show was to be presented in 2021, but due to the escalation of Covid-19, it was postponed to 2022.
The Joburg Ballet will begin its 21st anniversary year by launching Evolve – a celebration of dance.
Evolve will be put on over eight performances from March 25 to April 3.
Evolve offers a scintillating blend of the new and the classical, bringing together four ballets, three of which are world premieres and one glittering showpiece from the classical repertoire.
The show was to be presented in 2021, but due to the escalation of Covid-19, it was postponed to 2022.
The new works are The Afterlife: Souls, an introspective piece by principal dancer Shannon Glover where she explores the concept of death as the great equaliser. The Game by Mario Gaglione explores the game of kings, which inspired the choreographer to draw parallels between the game of chess and the game of life. Legae is an evocative dance piece by Tumelo Lekana where the choreographer says ‘the leaves pray for the roots to heal’.
The programme’s classic, The Grand Pas from Paquita, is ballet at its most majestic, showcasing ballerina, partner, soloists and corps de ballet to shine as a series of superb classical showpieces. Paquita was choreographed in the 19th century by Marius Petipa, creator of legendary ballet classics such as The Sleeping Beauty. It is being produced for Joburg Ballet by company soloist Ivan Domiciano.
Joburg Ballet artistic director Iain MacDonald said of Evolve, “We are proud that as Joburg Ballet celebrated its 21st anniversary, the company continues to consolidate its standing as a creative force in South African dance. In 2021, we presented thirteen new works and we are set to continue this trend in 2022. This aligns with our vision to offer opportunities for new choreographic voices to be heard, to offer works that reflect our world and provide new experiences for our audiences while at the same time continuing to honour the classical ballet foundations on which Joburg Ballet is based.”
Patrons can book reserved seats for the show in a graded pricing structure ranging from R200 for standard tickets. Discounts are available for Friends of the ballet, pensioners, groups of 10 or more and children between the ages of four and seven. All tickets for the show on March 30 are R100.
In terms of Covid-19 regulations, the audience size currently allows for 494 socially-distanced people in the 960-seat Joburg Theatre. All Covid-19 regulations will be observed at all performances.
For bookings, call the Joburg Theatre box office on 086 167 0670 or book online at www.joburgtheatre.com
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