DIVERSION OF ANGELS to Premiere in South Africa at SANDT Legacy of Dance Gala

Martha Graham's Diversion of Angels will be performed for the first time ever in South Africa this weekend at the Artscape Opera House, an exciting coup for the landmark SANDT Legacy of Dance Gala. The acclaimed work, presented by arrangement with Martha Graham Resources and danced by the WGRUV company, will feature the award winning Lorenzo Pagano who is now the Resident Rehearsal Director of the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York. Also on the international line up will be Dutch National Ballet stars Maia Makhateli (pictured as the BLACK SWAN) who will be partnered by fellow DNB dancer Jan Špunda in the thrilling Swan Lake Act lll pas de deux as well as in Embers, choreographed by Dutch National Ballet's Artistic Director, Ernst Meisner. The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra will accompany the Gala at both performances, conducted by Brandon Phillips.

The international stars will join some of South Africa's finest talent from Cape Town City Ballet, Joburg Ballet and Cape Ballet Africa, Jazzart Dance Theatre, Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA), Waterfront Theatre School and the recent South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC).

For a closing worthy of this extraordinary gathering, audiences can look forward to a spectacular celebration of music and movement. Choreographed by Sean Bovim and set to Queen's iconic Barcelona, the grand finale will bring together the soaring voice of soprano Busisiwe Ngejane, known for her performances with Cape Town Opera, including the recent hit Carmen, and the dynamic vocals of South African pop singer Warren Vernon-Driscoll, whose international career has taken him across multiple countries.

The SANDT Legacy of Dance Gala promises to leave audiences with a lasting impression and is a fitting tribute to the power of dance to transcend borders, generations and artistic disciplines.

The Legacy of Dance Gala is supported by Artscape, the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, the Joan St Leger Lindbergh Trust, the Lorenzo and Stella Chiappini Trust, The Dulcie Howes Ballet Trust and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, among others.