Cape Ballet Africa presents its inaugural season at the Baxter theatre from Saturday September 21 until Saturday September 28.

SALT features a triple bill of ballets by choreographers Kirsten Isenberg, Mthuthuzeli November and Michelle Reid

“Salt resonates on so many levels in our daily existence. It flavours, purifies, heals, preserves. Salt has significance in ancient rituals, warding off evil, keeping us safe and inspiring us to a higher spiritual realm,” says Debbie Turner, founder and artistic director of Cape Ballet Africa.

“For our auspicious inaugural season, the three works by Kirsten Isenberg, Mthuthuzeli November and Michelle Reid feature the immense skills of the artists within the broad spectrum of the interpretation of the classical ballet technique. The works are poignant, sleek, stylish, celebratory and percussive. Expect strong athletic pointe work, gravity-defying pas de deux, and beautifully articulated bodies in motion that depict a textured poetry within the richly inwoven movement vocabulary.”

“Cape Town has a proud legacy of dance. We want to invest in and build on that going forward into the future,” concludes Turner.

Kirsten Isenberg’s Reverie, a neoclassical work to Rachmaninov’s Concerto No 2 in C Minor, introduces the programme. “This classical work explores being lost in one’s thoughts after adversity and the journey from light to dark and back again. Sometimes supported and sometimes alone,” says Isenberg.

Reverie is a meditative and reflective study. Swathed in a palette of blush pink, it is delirious fanciful musings, in a dreamy state.

Mthuthuzeli November’s Chapter Two, costumed in vibrant hues of pink and red and set to a purpose-commissioned score written by Peter Johnson, is a modern percussive work that is reflected through the rhythmic body isolations and lightening quick movement vocabulary reminiscent of the precursor of his original Visceral. Chapter Two is a revisit, a place you have been to before, a musing on a previous time.

November’s reinterpretation of this score depicts the emergence and underpinning of his unique African classical choreographic voice.

Says November: “With this new work I am very excited to be back home. I feel inspired by the idea of starting again/picking up where you left off. I’ve grown a lot since my first work to now. The team has been incredible and I can’t wait for us to share the work soon.”

Composer Peter Johnson says, “In the 2024 rendition of the work, I have kept the music true to its origin with a few technical upgrades to the sonic quality. The work has also been extended since its original version. With the updated score, I hope Chapter Two will bring an enhanced musical experience to the audience.”

Michelle Reid’s Smoke costumed in hot red is a metaphor for glowing heat and intense emotion. Reid is widely known for her quirky creative spirit, unique movement language and interpretive skill. A passion for pure jazz music, Reid creates a new take on the iconic Brubeck Take Five, a reference to the rhythmic tempo of the work in a manner that is smooth, graceful and playful. “A classical ballet company can do old school,” says Reid.

Set design for SALT is by Michael Mitchell, with lighting design by Patrick Curtis. The Cape Ballet Africa Company of dancers are: Camille Bracher, Gabriel Ravenscroft, Gemma Trehearn, Jan Kotze, Joshua Williams, Julia O’Keeffe, Kayla Schultze, Kingsley Beukes, Mia Coomber, Nicolas Laubscher, Nina Simpson and Quinton Jacobs.

Tickets cost from R200 to R350 through Webtickets. For discounted block or schools bookings, charities or fund-raisers contact Carmen Kearns on carmen.kearns@uct.ac.za or Mark Dobson on mark.dobson@uct.ac.za

Cape Ballet Africa presents SALT. PICTURE: Mthuthuzeli November

Mia Coomber in SALT. PICTURE: Oscar O'Ryan

Kayla Schultze in SALT. PICTURE: Oscar O’Ryan

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