September 4, 2006
By Thabang Mokoka
PREPARE to be simply dazzled by the breathtaking performances in the spectacular Simply Ballroom featuring a host of international dance champions, on at the Civic Theatre from 26 September.
Joining the hit UK touring production are South Africa's top ballroom dancers, Kagiso Ntseane and Mary Martin, and Muntu Ngubane and Salome Sechele. They will be joining the other 12 professional international dance champions in bringing the glamour and glitz of the world of ballroom to life on the stage.
In addition, the co-host of SABC2's Strictly Come Dancing, Ian von Memerty, will also be a special guest.
Simply Ballroom, which premiered in Manchester in September 2005, takes the audience through the romance of the waltz to the passion of the tango, taking in the quickstep, foxtrot and cha cha on the way.
"I wanted to create a show that would also work for non-dancers like myself. It was important to add a human element and show what great fun ballroom is, to both participate and watch," says UK producer Jon Conway.
Joburg audiences will be able to see the spectacular Simply Ballroom at the Civic Theatre this month
The breathtaking choreography is by Anton du Beke and Erin Boag from the BBC's hit series
Strictly come dancing.
"We are extremely excited that the UK producers have recognised the high profile internationally of South African dance champions, and have invited the best in the country to join the original UK tour dancers," says the Civic Theatre's CEO, Bernard Jay.
The South African champions
The 2004 South African Champions, Ntseane and Martin have an impressive list of international competitions behind them. They competed in the Penang Dancesport Championships in Malaysia in November 2002, placing sixth and seventh. The couple were also fourth in the Star Championships in Blackpool, England in 2003.
They have won all the major competitions in South Africa, including the 2003 Leopard Challenge Dancesport Championships, the 2003 Grand Prix Dancesport Championships and the 2003 North West Dancesport Championships.
Ntseane and Martin are full-time dance teachers and adjudicators at the Mmabana Foundation, holding student-teacher qualifications in Ballroom and Latin American dance from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance and the South African Dance and Dancesport Council. Ntseane is also a member of the council.
Sechele and Ngubane have represented South Africa throughout Europe, the UK, Asia and America and were semi-finalists in the 1995 and 1996 Dutch Open Championships, finalists in the Rising Stars section of the 1995 International Championships at the Royal Albert Hall and finalists of the Sun City Rumba in the Jungle from 1994 to 1996.
Sechele theatre performances include Latissimo, the Civic Theatre's Big Band Blast and Chicago.
She has been the chair of most dance championships, including the South African National Dancesport Championships in 2004 and 2005 and is currently a judge on the local version of the television show Strictly Come Dancing.
Ngubane's professional dance experience includes Big Band Blast and being lead dancer in African Footprint.
Simply Ballroom is on from 26 September to 15 October. Tickets are available from Computicket from R160 (exclusive of booking fee). Call 083 915 8000 or visit www.computicket.com. Special group discounts for parties of 10 or more can be purchased directly from VIP Ticketing on 011 877 6854.
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