Durban - It’s back, and with more steps than a gym stair machine.
The annual dance extravaganza, Shall We Dance, celebrates its 27th year at the Playhouse Opera from September 6-s15.
Durban couple Lezariah Blignaut and Nkululeko Khumalo make their Shall We Dance debut this year.
The pair, who have been dancing together for six years, have a string of titles to their name including Arnold Classique finalists; three-time holders of the adult championship standard in the Gold Cup Challenge; KZN Championship Ballroom finalists; South African Dance Teachers’ Association (Sadta) champs where they placed second in the adult ballroom championship and DanceStar South Africa finalists.
After dazzling audiences last year in their South African debut, the main featured couple from Europe have been invited back for more “wow” ballroom and Latin numbers.
Dane Nikolaj Lund and Pole Marta Kocik have danced their way across most of the world, notching up trophies and titles from Denmark all the way to Japan for their high energy, vivid, sensual and passionate performances.
Renowned South African dancer, Ryan Hammond takes to the stage with his wife, Angelique. The couple are best-known from their appearances in a variety of local dance-themed competition reality TV shows.
Belly dancers who will shake audiences at Shall We Dance are, back from left, Kelicia Govender, Sarah Stalberg, Caitlin Schwarer, and front, Collette Bundy and Lauren Hepworth. Picture: Val Adamson
Graceful strongman, Gerhard van Rooyen, takes to the stage this year with Amor Kruger. Having just returned from Cyprus, the duo will share the phenomenal Cirque du Soleil, acrobatic style of Adage.
A number of dance studios from Durban, with 100 dancers, have been hard at work behind the scenes, not only choreographing their performances but also creating, often from scratch, the array of colourful costumes which the Durban audiences will get to witness. These hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind designs, some with hundreds of sequins added onto the garments, take many hours to create.
There will be 10 performances of Shall We Dance, which features the styles of the daring, jaw-dropping adage; traditional and contemporary ballet; ballroom; belly; Bollywood; Irish; jazz and Latin American.
Each year, the showcase introduces some fabulous tracks that accompany the action. Music is a big part of Shall We Dance, with carefully planned choices to support the dance programme, from contemporary artists and ever-greens.
The annual extravaganza is presented by the Sadta, the show is produced and directed by dance stalwarts Caryl Cusens and Neville Letard.
Ticket prices range from R100 to R160. Booking is through Webtickets or at Pick * Pay Supermarkets or Hypermarkets.
For more info like the Facebook page, Shall We Dance SA.