Duane Alexander is co-founder of LAMTA (Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy). He is also one of the choreographers creating dynamic numbers across multiple genres for the Academy’s upcoming Killer Queen dance show which opens at Theatre on the Bay on 4 June 2026. He speaks to WeekendSpecial about his work on the show:
LAMTA’s annual dance show has become one its most anticipated annual productions. What do you think keeps audiences coming back year after year – and what is the major appeal around Killer Queen?
A: I think there are a number of factors that have lead to the success of our dance productions. Firstly, the LAMTA Dance productions are more than just dance shows; we work really hard to devise productions that have strong underlining concepts, a great variety of dance styles led by leading South African choreographers and performed by our talented students, and we go above and beyond to elevate the production by adding live vocal numbers, great costuming, interesting content, and ensuring that it is a cohesive, enjoyable experience for the audience from the moment they arrive at the Theatre On The Bay. All these elements get woven together with passion and attention to detail, and as a result, patrons keep coming back for more! Add to this mix the iconic and timeless music of Queen – how can one resist?
This production brings together Year 1 to Year 3 triple threat students across multiple dance genres, from hip hop to jazz and funk. How do you balance showcasing individual talent while still creating one cohesive, high-energy show?
A: It is quite a process and it takes a lot of planning and careful crafting. We endeavour to create a seamless, interesting journey that has a story arc that will balance the variety of dance styles and genres, whilst also trying to avoid crazy quick-changes or leaving the audience sitting in the dark … it’s a huge challenge, but we somehow manage to make it work and hope to give the audience a production that is entertaining, informative and sometimes even emotional.
Queen’s music is iconic and crosses generations. How did the idea for Killer Queen first come about, and what makes Queen’s catalogue such a powerful fit for dance and musical theatre performance?
A: We had a tremendous success in 2022 with our production entitled Come Together – The Beatles covered/Uncovered – which inspired us to want to create a follow-up production in the same vein: a dance show around an iconic band with iconic songs. Queen instantly came to mind, it was a no-brainer. We have had to think carefully about how to recreate this kind of experience, because Queen’s music is often more theatrical than it is dance driven. We often have people commenting after our dance shows: ‘How are you going to top this?’ So we decided that instead of putting ourselves under the pressure of making it ‘better’ we would strive to make it ‘different’ and hope that the audiences enjoy and appreciate it all the same.
LAMTA productions are known for their energy and “huge vibe.” What goes into creating that atmosphere on stage?
A: We’re very proud of the vibe and dynamic that we’ve worked hard to cultivate at LAMTA. As it is in the profession, we create an extremely hard-working but super-supportive environment and we select the best people to come and teach, choreograph and influence our young artists. What results is an Academy full of students who are inspired, passionate, dedicated and want to pour their hearts and souls out on stage every night. They realise what an awesome opportunity it is to work with our esteemed choreographers, perform on a professional stage at the Theatre On The Bay and in front of a public audience – it’s any young performer’s dream.
Pls tell us bit about the choreographers whose work we will see in Killer Queen?
A: We have assembled an incredible team of choreographers, many of whom have worked on our LAMTA shows before. It is inspiring to see the way they creatively bring their pieces to life, whilst nurturing the talent and skills of our students. Michelle Reid, Jared Schaedler, Zoe Friedrichs, Brandon Herbst to name just a few, including our incredible LAMTA dance faculty and we proudly have a handful of Choreography students who are assisting me this year in creating some of the pieces; exciting up-and-coming choreographers who all show so much potential!
For the students involved, what does performing in a major production at Theatre on the Bay mean in terms of their growth, confidence, and preparation for the professional entertainment industry?
A: It is such a coup for our LAMTA students to be studying in this iconic theatre; Producer Pieter Toerien is literally a few meter’s away from where they are learning to become well-rounded “Kings Of All Trades” and thanks to Pieter Toerien we have the opportunity of producing three major productions on the Theatre on the Bay stage every year. Whilst this kind of exposure is really exciting, it is also quite stressful as every endeavour needs to show preparation, skill, professionalism and ensure that our emerging talents are putting their “best foot forward”. Thankfully to date, the result has had patrons finding it hard to believe that what they’ve just witnessed is ostensibly a ’student’ production. Watching our students grow, shine and make giant leaps in confidence is extremely rewarding.
What: Killer Queen
Where and when: Theatre on the Bay from 4 to 20 June 2026
Tickets: Webtickets
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