Cape Ballet Africa's Elysium program, currently showing at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town until October 10, brings together four dance pieces that showcase exquisite dancing and the work of four choreographers. The program features George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, danced to Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 3, which celebrates dance as a tool of liberation and expresses emotions through movement.
The program kicks off with Balanchine's 70-year-old masterpiece, Allegro Brillante, which requires rigorous dancing and is fast-paced and technically demanding. Cape Ballet Africa's dancers set the mood with slick and jaunty dancing, bringing a sense of joy that's fresh and invigorating. The ensemble's performance illuminates the body's expansive ability to express emotions in ways that words cannot.
The second piece, We Met at the Moon, Briefly, is a new work by Northern Ballet resident choreographer Kenneth Tindall, who spent two weeks working with the Cape Town dancers. Tindall's piece is a synthesis of athleticism and graceful technique, with a wondrous pas de deux at its heart. The work features a vaguely futuristic atmosphere, enhanced by metallic costumes, and takes the audience on an energetic and energizing journey.
The third part of the Elysium program is Nacho Duato's Remanso, a three-man ballet that seizes inspiration from Spanish poet and playwright Garcia Lorca. Remanso had its world premiere in 1997 in New York and was performed in South Africa last year as part of Cape Ballet Africa's Breathwords program. The ballet is playful, punctuated with wit, and quite athletic, featuring mimed gestures and imagery that hints at surrealist painters.
The fourth part of the program is Michelle Reid's new work, Duende, which combines whimsy with sophistication and grounds dancers in emotionally layered sequences. Reid's piece features strikingly frizzy black pantaloons and recognizable Spanish rhythms that have been slightly tweaked. The work showcases Reid's stature as one of South Africa's finest choreographers and her ability to keep dancers on their toes.
The Elysium program features a diverse range of choreographers and dance styles, showcasing ballet's capacity to contain a dynamic conversation between classicism and contemporary dance forms. The program's title, Elysium, signifies a state of bliss, referencing Greek mythology's paradisiacal afterlife reserved for favored souls.
Cape Ballet Africa's Elysium program offers a unique and captivating experience, featuring four dance pieces that express joy, seduction, transcendence, and bliss. The program's diverse range of choreographers and dance styles makes it a must-see for dance enthusiasts, showcasing the company's exquisite dancing and commitment to showcasing world-class choreography.
Key points
- The Elysium program features four dance pieces by renowned choreographers George Balanchine, Kenneth Tindall, Nacho Duato, and Michelle Reid.
- The program showcases a diverse range of dance styles, from classical ballet to contemporary forms.
- The Elysium program is a celebration of dance as a tool of liberation and expression, featuring exquisite dancing and world-class choreography.
