SALT REVIEW. Triple Bill and Pas de Deux production by Cape Ballet Africa. Artistic Director: Debbie Turner. At the Pam Golding Theatre, the Baxter until 28 September, 2024. SHEILA CHISHOLM reviews Cape Ballet Africa’s launch.
Debbie Turner’s launch of her newly formed Cape Ballet Africa (CBA) was hailed a rousing success by a packed audience at the launch performance.
CBA’s formation has garnered some speculation as to whether Cape Town can support another professional ballet company. However, to Turner must be given the heartiest of congratulations for providing an exceptionally well balanced, beautifully danced and thoroughly entertaining programme for CBA’s premier.
Engaging musical experience
The company comprises 12 skilled dancers (six male, six female), soloist Camille Bracher and guest artist Brandon Lawrence. To Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No 2, and against a rising sun hued backcloth, this couple gave a stellar technical display of Sir Kenneth Macmillan’s Concerto Pas de Deux.
The evening proved as much an engaging musical experience as it was of showcasing various dance techniques. Following tradition, Salt opened to a plotless classical ballet.
Kirsten Isenberg is famous for her innovative narrative-less choreography and in her newest work Reverie, she excelled. Set to a Deutsche Grammophon (DG) recording by Daniil Trifonov and the Philadelphia Orchestra, Isenberg chose to use Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No 2 in C Minor Op18.
Wearing delicate shell pink, Isenberg set her choreography on the full company, flowing them gracefully from one splendid image to another. Especially attractive was the manner Isenberg combined her groups and used port de bras.
Dynamic display
Mthuthuzeli November set his contemporary styled Chapter Two to Peter Johnson’s commissioned score. Once again the full company were engaged. It isn’t always easy for the classical trained dancer to switch into contemporary choreography. But hats off to the team for their dynamic display of November’s avante garde cutting edge style and movements.
Chapter Two turned into a happy marriage between musician, choreographer and dancers, in a work that any company will be proud to hold in their repertoire.
A work by Michelle Reid is always unusual. She has an extraordinary choreographic brain, that insists that every ballet she choreographs will be unique and in a unique style. For CBA’s premier Reid choreographed Smoke, which she set to a number of composers and costumed in red for the full cast. That in itself is unusual, as is using red lighting. Again the full company were involved and in a variety of styles, Smoke ended to rousing applause.
Salt was an evening to remember.
What: Salt Cape Ballet Africa
Where and when: Baxter from 21 to 28 September 2024
Tickets: Webtickets
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