August 1, 2005
By Lucille Davie
THIRD position; right leg in front; face forward; stretch your knees; shoulders down; arms to the side ... and 20 little people, some in socks, some in shoes, stiffen and straighten their bodies, concentrating on the teacher.
The scene is Alexandra, the teacher is Penny Thloloe and the bodies belong to 8- and 9-year-old children who have been through a rigorous audition process to participate in the first ballet classes to be offered in the township.
"They are very talented and have been selected from 2 000 children," Thloloe says. She spent many hours talking to children at nine primary schools in Alex at the beginning of the year, as part of the selection process, and made her final choice on several criteria: slim and petite girls, strong and flexible boys and, of course, a love of dancing.
There was one other criterion, however - "life in their eyes". Just a glance at the children reveals plenty of life, and plenty of concentration - in pointing toes, stretching arms and bending backs.
The girls in second position plié
They also had to be able to touch their knees with their heads, point their toes and turn out their legs from their hips - skills not everyone has.
The children are dressed in a range of costumes: girls in pretty pink leotards, tights and shoes, some with holes in their tights; boys in bodysuits and shoes, others in socks, shorts and jerseys. But dress is no indicator of their enthusiasm.
There is no barre for the dancers in the large community hall on the East Bank, but that is no problem - they each have a plastic chair on which to hold and balance themselves.
Penny Thloloe
Thloloe, a dancer since she was 11 with the Ballet Theatre Afrikan (BTA) company, teaches ballet six days a week. She no longer dances professionally, after a shoulder problem lead to her stopping 18 months ago. Yet she clearly loves teaching ballet.
Several years ago Thloloe won a scholarship to Ballet Rambert in London, where she trained for 18 months. She has performed throughout South Africa and internationally, and she qualified as a ballet teacher in the internationally recognised Cecchetti Method in 2002.
Then, late last year she was appointed director of satellite projects for BTA, and aims to develop a professional dance academy in Alex. BTA sponsors Thloloe's salary.
Paula Kelly, the administrative director of BTA, says, "We are very, very proud of her. She is a product of what BTA stands for, and a product of the community of Alex."
Thloloe, now 24, grew up in Alex and still lives there.
"The need for this academy, resulting in the production of dancers of an international standard that can go out into the marketplace and earn their living from dance, has been identified by the community and a solution has been requested repeatedly over many years," Kelly says.
"The academy will, in addition, produce a number of qualified teachers of dance from the community."
Thloloe teaches in Alex and surrounding schools, and is responsible for the outreach training that takes place at schools such as HA Jack, Parkhurst Primary, Ennerdale and the Chinese School. The National Arts Council and the National Lottery generously fund these programmes, Kelly explains.
BTA is the only ballet company in the country that produces black dancers of world class standard. They achieve those standards by being thoroughly classically trained, but are also trained in contemporary dance, jazz, Spanish and Afrofusion, a mix of traditional African dance and other styles.
As a result, local and international choreographers often ask to work with BTA dancers because they are so versatile.
Parents
The Alex parents don't pay for their children's classes, and have received donated leotards and shoes.
BTA now also sponsors a meal for the children, after it was noticed how listless they were at the beginning of classes. They take classes four afternoons a week, for two hours each day.
Thloloe finds she has to educate parents as well. "I have to encourage them to go and watch their children's performances, regardless of transport problems."
Other than this, parents are very interested in the lessons.
In June, after just five months, the first batch of 22 pupils took the Cecchetti pre-primary exams, sponsored by the Johannesburg Cecchetti Society. The children received very satisfactory As and Bs.
"It is always so surprising to see how much they improve. They are so grateful. I love their innocent nature - I am driven by them," Thloloe says, smiling. "I see myself doing this forever."
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