Cape Town City Ballet

The Cape Town City Ballet Company, formerly known as the CAPAB Ballet Company, is based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Logo of the Cape Town City Ballet

History

The Cape Town City Ballet originated from the UCT Ballet Company, which was established by Dulcie Howes in 1934. Dr Howes was adamant that, from the moment of formation, this dance company would give opportunity to talent, irrespective of race or colour. The Company was involved in the founding of Maynardville Open-Air Theatre on 1 December 1950, with its opening performance of Les Sylphides.[1][2][3][4] It later took over management of that theatre's ballet performances, in 1963.[5] The company became the CAPAB (Cape Performing Arts Board) Ballet Company under the directorship of David Poole. The company benefitted from government spending on the arts and its 60-strong company staged lavish productions at the Artscape Theatre Centre previously known as the Nico Malan in Cape Town and toured to the 1820 Settlers National Monument Theatre in Grahamstown, the Civic Theatre in Johannesburg, and the Port Elizabeth Opera House. However, funding stopped in 1994 and in 1997 the company became a non-profit organisation with the name Cape Town City Ballet under the leadership of Elizabeth Triegaardt, who was both the executive director of the company and the director of the UCT School of Dance. Professor Triegaardt remained on the Board of Directors until April 2019. Former principal ballerina, Tracy Li filled the position of Acting Executive Director from April to September 2018, after which Debbie Turner, the current CEO, took office.

Notable members

Guest artists

These have included the following dancers:

Repertoire

Cape Town City Ballet mainly performs versions of traditional classics reworked by resident choreographer, Veronica Paeper.

Carmen. Photo credit Joan Ward
Ingoma. Photo credit Danie Coetzee
Back on Stage. Photo credit Joan Ward
A Christmas Carol. Photo credit Joan Ward
Les Sylphides. Photo credit Danie Coetzee

2021
  • ALCHEMY – THREE DANCES featuring Robert North’s TROY GAME, George Balanchine’s CONCERTO BAROCCO and Jiří Kylián’s FALLING ANGELS
  • CARMEN – choreography by Veronica Paeper
  • INGOMA – choreography by South African born Mthuthuzeli November.  Commissioned by Cassa Pancho for Ballet Black in London.
  • LES SYLPHIDES choreography by Mikhail Fokine. Staged by Lynn Wallis.
  • SERENADE – choreography by George Balanchine.
  • CAPE TOWN CITY BALLET – BACK ON STAGE featuring George Balanchine’s SERENADE and MOON BEHIND THE CLOUDS, a suite of works made during the time of Covid-19, by South African choreographers Veronica Paeper, Kirsten Isenberg, Yaseen Manuel, Lindy Raizenberg and Marlin Zoutman.

2020
  • CAPE TOWN CITY BALLET – BACK ON STAGE featuring George Balanchine’s SERENADE and MOON BEHIND THE CLOUDS, a suite of works made during the time of Covid-19, by South African choreographers Veronica Paeper, Kirsten Isenberg, Yaseen Manuel, Lindy Raizenberg and Marlin Zoutman.

2019
  • A CHRISTMAS CAROL – THE STORY OF SCROOGE – choreography by Veronica Paeper
  • SATORI – featuring Kenneth Tindall’s POLARITY.  Michelle Reid’s SHEEPLE, and George Balanchine’s  CONCERTO BAROCCO.
  • SLEEPING BEAUTY – featuring guest artists Vadim Muntagirov, (The Royal Ballet) and Tatiana Melnik (Hungarian National Ballet) and Precious Adams (English National Ballet and Andile Ndlovu (Washington Ballet). Staged by Denise Schultze Godfrey.AMARANTH – featuring George Balanchine’s Serenade, Frank Staff ‘s Transfigured Night and Christopher L Huggins’ Enemy Behind the Gates

2012

2011
  • Poetry in Motion 2 - the production of 2010 was supplemented by additional dance vignettes created by well-known choreographers, including Adele Bank, Robin van Wyk, Erica Brumage, Lindy Raizenberg and Veronica Paeper
  • Swan Lake
  • The Sleeping Beauty

2010

2009
  • The Nutcracker with guest artist Eduard Greyling
  • La Sylphide
  • Swan Lake to celebrate the company's 75th Birthday
  • Paquita
  • Giselle
  • Balletscapes - premiere of African Landscapes, and includes Paquita and excerpts from the popular works of Paeper, Poole, Prokovsky and others in the programme

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

References
  1. "Arts Page, Official Opening of the Maynardville Ballet". Cape Times. 27 November 1950.
  2. "Arranged for Athlone Nursery School". Cape Times. 1 December 1950.
  3. Maynardville Theatre - History (City of Cape Town Website) Archived 8 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  4. History of Maynardville - Old Wynberg Village
  5. Cape Times, Arts Supplement. 1950–2012. p. 14 (var.)
  6. Tucker, Percy (20 September 2010). "Cape Town City Ballet presents Carmen". Yeoville, SA: Artslink.co.za. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  7. "Camille". Cape Town, SA: iafrica.com. 3 August 2007. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
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