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Snow White, an R8m sponsor and the JPO ... Joburg Ballet jetés for joy

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Snow White set designs by Andrew Botha Pictures: Joburg Ballet
Snow White set designs by Andrew Botha Pictures: Joburg Ballet

The Joburg Ballet was relaunched on October 13 with the premiere of artistic director Iain MacDonald’s Snow White – The Ballet.

An auspicious occasion it was, with introductory speeches and member of the mayoral committee for community development Nonhlanhla Sifumba making the significant announcement that the city would be sponsoring the company to the tune of R8 million annually for the next three years. And, as if that wasn’t reason enough to jeté for joy, two of the 2018 seasons will be accompanied by the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

As the ballet starts, the stage is dark in front of an elegant projection lit up on the backcloth, which silhouettes the guests gathered in the ballroom to celebrate The Queen as the fairest in the land. Then full lighting reveals the splendour of the scene and an abundance of beautiful dancing follows. What a pleasure.

In the classics there can be a surfeit of arriving and greeting and promenading and gesturing and posing before and during ballroom scenes. But MacDonald gets his dancers to leap right in.

There are ensembles of couples, and a series of soloists, each flowing on from the previous, while Dmitri Shostakovich’s light and energetic music complements the mood.

The lead couple are excellent dancers. Nicole Ferreira-Dill, who plays Snow White, moves confidently with a pleasing, delicate grace.

She is partnered by Leusson Muniz as The Royal Huntsman. This Brazilian, who joined the company just two months ago, has a benign and dignified presence.

The substantial Kitty Phetla is wonderfully thorough in her portrayal of the narcissistic Queen, oozing wickedness. She easily managed the fusion of classical ballet and contemporary dance for her role.

Given current heightened awareness of abuse against women and the call for men to do their share of preventing it, it was disconcerting to see Snow White going off into the forest on her own towards the end of this act. While the purpose is for her to find safety from The Queen’s jealousy, the poor woman ends up having to endure being tormented by the evil monarch’s Shadows. Well, there’s the lesson: women should be able to go where they like, when they like, but …

Act 2 opens with Snow White reviving and being guided by the engaging, prancing Deer, Bird, Rabbit and Fox to the cottage of the Forest People (the dwarfs of the original tale) who arrive shortly thereafter with much gambolling and stomping, each one humorously showing off his particular characteristic (in this rendition: Coma, Cough, Cranky, Coach, Cuddles, Casanova and Clumsy). Laurance James is particularly amusing as the zealous Casanova, determined to take advantage of the unexpected arrival of a lovely woman in their midst. It did seem a pity that there weren’t more highlights of balletic virtuosity during this playfulness; the lively music lends itself to some entrechats or brisés (jumps with the beating of the feet). Anyway, the audience seemed to enjoy the pantomime of this scene. The capacity for raising and lowering parts of the Joburg Theatre stage was used to good effect here, with The Queen spying on the activities from above.

The costumes are gorgeous and the sets an interesting combination of traditional props and projected animations on the backcloth, the latter being especially effective when, after The Royal Huntsman has rescued Snow White, The Queen takes another look in her mirror; oh that shattering of vanity!

Overall, an enjoyable evening, and may the Joburg Ballet go from strength to strength.

• Snow White – The Ballet is on at the Joburg Theatre until October 22. Book your tickets here.

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