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Popular demand for Cape Ballet Africa’s Swan Lake by Johannesburg audiences has prompted The Teatro at Montecasino to schedule additional weekend performances. The timeless, classical ballet unpacks the tragedy surrounding Prince Siegfried and Princess Odette’s love story and the chain of events that unfolded after the evil sorcerer, Von Rothbart, cast a spell on the princess, turning her into a swan.
Founder Debby Turner is a girl’s girl
The show’s artistic director and Cape Ballet Africa founder, Debby Turner, is proud of her 29-month-old baby - a rare occurrence in South Africa, as the only other successful ballet company founded by a woman was Dulcie Howes’s UCT Ballet Company in 1934. It evolved into the CAPAB Ballet Company three decades later.
“It was state-funded with and was operating in very tricky political conditions under the previous dispensation,” Debby said of her predecessor’s company.
It is important for Debby to take other women with her as she elevates herself, and this is reflected in how Cape Ballet Africa is entirely women-led and the board is also all-women.
“Swan Lake has a predominantly women cast. There are 24 swans and only one prince on stage at one point, but the management is all women,” she said.
Debby unapologetically loves working with women, using adjectives like intelligent, strong and driven to describe them.
“I have wonderful, long-standing relationships with the women I work with, and we get on brilliantly,” she said.
From teen ballerina to board member
Ipeleng Merafe-Derby started working with Debby as a teenager, fresh from the National School of the Arts, and climbed the ranks until she became a board member. Her ballet journey began when she was five years old, and her training intensified when she was 10 at the Royal Academy of Dance. She has worked with various dance companies countrywide and even toured the world with the late Dada Masilo.
Black women taking up space on the boards of ballet companies is uncommon, but Ipeleng says this is changing and inclusion is growing. She was inspired by her own aunt, who sat on the board of the then South African Ballet Theatre.
“My favourite thing about my job is that I’ve never had to let go of my lifelong passion. I’ve stepped away from the stage and performing, but I still get to experience ballet on a regular basis,” Ipeleng said.
She also loves the Cape Ballet Africa family, saying they strive for a sustainable work environment and a place for dance to grow.
Ipeleng feels fortunate to work in spaces that have exposed her to determined and impactful women with a common goal to see ballet thriving.
The women on stage
Choreographer Lindi Raizenberg says choreographing Swan Lake has been a role that was previously assigned to men, and she feels fortunate to have been a part of this journey with Cape Ballet Africa. Her experience as a dance teacher, coupled with research, enabled her to weave what other countries have done with the production into what South African audiences are currently experiencing.
“I’ve broken my back on much smaller productions, so I came into Swan Lake with experience and passion. I’ve seen various stagings of Swan Lake, and the wisdom that comes with age also gave me a deeper understanding of the procedure,” Lindi explained.
Veronica Paeper is among the women who have been instrumental in Lindi’s career and encouraged her to choreograph back when she was still a dancer.
“When I was a dancer, Swan Lake was a ballet I tried really hard to avoid because it’s hard. Standing still is harder than moving, so it’s funny that I’m now choreographing this version of Swan Lake and am doing so with love and passion,” she added.
Principal dancer Paige McElligott not only plays Odette but also holds various roles in the production. She believes Swan Lake teaches audiences about teamwork and the power of a group of women working towards a common goal. The production is also about beauty, and Paige says the true meaning of beauty lies in what is inside and how we treat people.
Emily Fortuin also plays various roles and believes that being multi-skilled is an important aspect of being a dancer. Her Women’s Month message is for women to always be true to themselves and have a clear idea about where they want to go in life.
- What: Swan Lake
- Where: The Teatro, Monte Casino
- When: 7 to 23 August
- Cost: R220 and R720 on Webtickets
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