Joburg Ballet Celebrates 25 Years With Return of Giselle

Monike Cristina and Bruno Miranda dancing the principal roles for the 25th anniversary performance of Giselle at the Joburg Theatre on 12 February. Photos: Ihsaan Haffejee

Joburg Ballet, one of the city’s beloved cultural institutions, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

The dance company was formed in 2001 after the closure of the State Theatre and with it the State Theatre Ballet. But six dancers from the ballet were determined not to see the city’s classical dance tradition fade away. They formed the South African Ballet Theatre, which later became Joburg Ballet.

“Instead of going abroad, we stayed and started a new company so that we could ensure that we pass on the knowledge, the love and the passion we have for ballet to the next generation,” says Karen Beukes, one of the founding members.

Coming full circle, Beukes has returned to Joburg Ballet, along with fellow founding member Angela Malan, to stage Giselle, the ballet that launched the company back in 2001.

The two shared their memories of starting the company.

“Not only dancers, but crew members, truck drivers and others sometimes worked for little to no pay, just because people believed in what we were doing and were working with passion to keep the dance tradition alive,” says Beukes.

Audiences in Johannesburg and Pretoria were treated to performances of Giselle, a story of love, heartbreak and betrayal, when the dance company kicked off its 25th year anniversary celebrations in February.

Joburg Ballet is now one of the country’s largest dance companies, providing not only a home to professional dancers but also working to nurture the next generation through its schools and learning programs.

“We have seen that there is so much talent that these kids have, but they don’t have access to classical ballet training. So providing access is the vision for why the schools were created,” says Keke Chele, Joburg Ballet School head.

Ballet classes for various age groups are held in Braamfontein, Soweto and Alexandra. Students learn the technical aspects of dance but also valuable life lessons, such as discipline and how to deal with failure, which is inevitable along the way to perfecting such a difficult art form.

Karabo Thusi, 13, training under the watchful eye of Tshego Masoabi at the Uncle Toms community hall in Soweto, says she wants to be a professional ballet dancer.

“I am in love with ballet. It’s difficult sometimes but I know with enough practice you can become better. Being on stage is just so nerve-wracking but also very exciting,” says Thusi.

Elroy Fillis-Bell, Joburg Ballet CEO, says cultural institutions improve societies through the humanising effect of art.

He says ballet cannot operate isolated from its social context. An upcoming production of The Bacchae will touch on gender-based violence and what happens when political power goes unchecked.

“Yes, we create beautiful ballets like Giselle, but also create work that stimulates a discussion,” he says.

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