June 21, 2006
By Thuli Ntuli
TOP of the Johannesburg Youth Ballet's 30th birthday celebrations is their latest creation, a contemporary jazz dance piece With Stars in Their Eyes.
Created by Timothy le Roux, a former member of the Johannesburg Youth Ballet, especially for the occasion, the piece will debut at the Wits Theatre in Braamfontein at 8pm on Wednesday, 21 June. Three more performances are scheduled for 8pm on 22 and 23 June and 3pm 24 June.
Le Roux, who is the current director of hit musical Jesus Christ Superstar, will star, along with 10 young performers from the Johannesburg Youth Ballet.
Also on the celebratory bill is a restaging of the dance piece Waratah, which was last performed in 1983.
The revised version of Waratah, which was originally created by the late Audrey King, founder of the Johannesburg Youth Ballet, has been produced by other founder members Liz MacConachie, Gail Myburgh and Lynette Petersen.
"The title Waratah was taken from the name of the ship that was wrecked off the east coast of South Africa in 1909," says the company's public relations officer, Di Sparks.
It explores issues of race through the story of a young white baby rescued from the ship called The Waratah by a black community, who then raise her.
Kate Retief and Angela Maree will dance the title role, while guest artists from the South African Ballet Theatre, Chase Bosch and Marc Goldberg, will take on the role of Andre.
Some of the dancers from the Johannesburg Youth Ballet's outreach programme in Katlehong will also be performing.
A third production, The Dream, rounds off the programme. This is a classical piece, produced by Jean Beckley with the help of Dianne Richards.
It features South African Ballet Theatre dancers Sarah King as Titania and Dion Page as Oberon. Maree, from the Johannesburg Youth Ballet, and Bosch will alternate in the roles. Bosch will also dance the role of Puck.
Members of the 30-strong Johannesburg Youth Ballet are aged from 13 years to early 20s.
The Johannesburg Youth Ballet was formed in 1976 after being invited by the International Festival of Youth Orchestras and Performing Arts to perform at the festival in Aberdeen, Scotland.
"Flouting the political realities of the time, King selected a group of racially integrated dancers to perform at this annual festival," said a media statement from the company.
"In what was a watershed year for the black youth of South Africa, this group of young dancers was one of the first racially integrated youth groups to represent South Africa abroad."
Since then they have toured the world to locations such as Italy, Israel, China and Britain.
Bookings for the performances can be made through Computicket on 011 340 8000 or 083 915 8000 or from Sherryl Rodin on 011 784 9570 or 082 459 1995. Discounted block bookings are available. Tickets are R45 each.
The Wits Theatre is at the corner of Jorissen and Station streets in Braamfontein.
For more information, contact 011 784 9570.
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