Ballet Theatre Afrikan dancers. Photo by Rob Mills

RELATED LINKS: Region 7 If one were looking for a microcosm of South Africa, one need look no further than Johannesburg's Alexandra region. Dominated by the sprawling old township area of Alexandra itself, it stretches some way north and far south. Read more Ballet Theatre Afrikan - well worth it BTA was formed in 1996 and launched as a professional company in June 2002, and has since proved that it knows it stuff. Read more

Dancing to a new tune ALEXANDRA is to get its own ballet academy, thanks to an initiative by Joburg's premier dance company, Ballet Theatre Afrikan December 22, 2004 By Anish Abraham AFTER repeated pleas from community members and schools over the past five years, Alexandra will finally have its own ballet academy, thanks to a satellite project by the Ballet Theatre Afrikan. The project is due to start in early 2005. Penelope Thloloe, recently appointed as director of satellite projects at the Ballet Theatre Afrikan, has put together the ambitious project. Auditions toward February 2005 will see children from the township and surrounding areas being able to train in ballet and other forms of dance, without having to travel to the city on a daily basis, as before. "The interest from the children is phenomenal. There are many kids who travel to the city to take part in classes and a lot more who are interested in taking part," says Thloloe. The Ballet Theatre Afrikan has identified facilities in two Alexandra schools to host training sessions in the short term and is currently in talks to make use of the premises. According to says the administrative director of the company, Paula Kelly, because most children in Alexandra have no means of transport, it is impossible to put in the hours of rigorous training required on a daily basis, unless the project is based within walking distance. "With the regeneration of Alexandra being identified as a top priority in Gauteng, a project that offers training for a professional career to its children is an additional beacon of hope to the community," adds Kelly. The township has long been identified as a hotbed for new talent, with local schools pleading with the Ballet Theatre Afrikan to start an academy. The academy will focus on young children in an effort to encourage them to develop ballet into a career. In the first year, the academy will take in 16 male and 16 female students between the ages of eight and 11. Kelly says students train for up to eight years before they practice professionally. Thloloe has trained under Ballet Theatre Afrikan artistic director, Martin Schonberg, since the age of 10 and won a scholarship to complete 18 months of training at the Ballet Rambert in London. She qualified as a ballet teacher in the internationally acclaimed Cecchetti Method in 2002 and is currently responsible for the Ballet Theatre Afrikan's satellite school classes - with more that 250 disadvantaged children as her students - and afternoon classes in Ennerdale. Together with an assistant teacher, Thloloe will be able to instruct Alexandra locals in the various forms of classical ballet as well as contemporary dance. The upcoming project is one that Thloloe holds close to her heart, as she grew up in Alex, where her parents continue to take part in community activities. For more information contact the Ballet Theatre Afrikan on 011 880 3099. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za