In conversation with Hong Kong born Tracy Li, former ballerina and now Artistic Deputy of Cape Town City Ballet and répétiteur for I Got Rhythm, on the boards at Artscape until 26 May (pictured here with with former Cape Town City Ballet dance partner Hisham Omardien, who is now USA based and who was in town to assist with the staging of I Got Rhythm):
Tell us a little about your early dance days.
Tracy: Oh, how I wish my family had kept my first two pairs of shoes or that had photos of them! Apparently, since I was a tiny tot, I used to walk on tiptoes and ruin the front of my shoes like it was my absolute ‘norm’. I think the ballet dancer path was there all along for me. Since I was about 13, I was pretty much the permanent ‘extra’ dancer with the Hong Kong Ballet. I joined them professionally when I turned 16, under the mentorship of Garry Trinder. I still had his voice in my head till the very last second of my official final performance, which was with Cape Town City Ballet in 2008, although I made two comeback after that, the last being in 2018 as the lead in CTCB’s Carmen.
What is it about I Got Rhythm that makes it a must-see?
Tracy: It’s about the joy of dance – it’s funky and sexy, ballet meets jazzy moves. You’ll see a variety of dancers transporting you to the great Gatsby era. It’s glam, humorous and playful and a wonderful experience overall. Not only will CTCB touch the hearts of dance lovers, but we are collaborating with Jazzart and have several guest artists onstage with us from Joburg Ballet, Durban, Ukraine and also David Ward from BalletMet,USA. CTCB also shares the stage with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Brandon Phillips, with the brilliant young pianist Gerhard Joubert at the piano, and three singers from Cape Town Opera are also part of the show.
Explain more about the dance genre-fusion in I Got Rhythm:
Tracy: I would say that when you have a poised, cool classical look against a passionate and raw contemporary look, they complement each other incredibly well; one enhances the other and for me it’s like Ying and Yang and it is absolutely exciting to witness this fusion.
Tell us more about the collaborations on I Got Rhythm:
Tracy: I am a firm believer in collaboration and I am loving every single bit of it. We need to appreciate each other as artists, be open-minded and learn from each other. Although I am coaching and co-producing I Got Rhythm, I am constantly amazed at how our dancers deliver. It is also very heartwarming to see the dancers so inspired by one another. This piece is the perfect way to show that contemporary, jazz and classical ballet can share the same stage and make magic.
You’ve been working closely with Artistic Producer, David Nixon – please share more about that process:
Tracy: David has so much invaluable experience and he very generous in giving. It’s an honour and a privilege to be able to share his passion, to be challenged and inspired by him, I am treasuring every moment of this journey.
CTCB is celebrating 90 this year- a huge milestone when you think that New York City Ballet is only 76 years old! Classical ballet is clearly alive and well and what are your thoughts about the future of the art form?
Tracy: I think it’s vitally important to respect and preserve ballet’s truly classical heritage and roots, using that as our core strength while developing our own identity. Ballet has evolved and so should we. There is so much potential and so much talent in this country, we should be more daring to explore dance styles and make magic! I GOT RHYTHM is a testament to this, where the piece is underpinned by classical ballet yet weaves in other styles of dance to make the magic you see onstage.
What: I Got Rhythm
Where and when: Artscape from 17 to 26 May 2024
Tickets: Webtickets
WS
