Joburg Ballet Marks 25th Anniversary Season With Awards And International Recognition

Joburg Ballet has marked its 25th anniversary season with a series of awards, nominations, and performances. The company received recognition at the Naledi Theatre Awards and the National Dance Awards in the UK. Recent activities also include collaborations in photography and visual art alongside performance programming.

Joburg Ballet has continued its 25th anniversary season with a series of performances, awards, and international recognition throughout April.

Principal dancer Monike Cristina received the award for Best Performance in a Dance, Physical Theatre and Ballet Production at the Naledi Theatre Awards, held at the South African State Theatre. The award recognized her performance in Maria Callas – Prima Donna, choreographed by Mario Gaglione. Principal dancer Revil Yon was also nominated in the same category.

The company’s work intersected with photography through recognition at the World Press Photo Contest, where photojournalist Ihsaan Haffejee received the Africa Regional Singles award for an image titled “Joburg Ballet School.” The photograph, taken during a 2025 year-end performance at the Soweto Theatre, captured students backstage and highlighted the company’s educational programs.

Joburg Ballet also presented a collaboration with the Candice Berman Gallery as part of the Prowess Exhibition. Under Artistic Director Dane Hurst’s development program, dancers created site-specific works responding to visual art by Shana Ellappa, Restone Maambo, and Hannelie Taut, exploring connections between dance and gallery presentation.

Dancer Latoya Mokoena has been nominated at the National Dance Awards in the Outstanding Female Modern Performance category for her role in Salomé, choreographed by Dada Masilo. The work was presented during the company’s UK debut at the Linbury Theatre as part of Communion of Light.

Choreographer Mthuthuzeli November has also been nominated for Best Classical Choreography at the National Dance Awards for his ballet Fools, created for Northern Ballet and based on the novel Hill of Fools by R. L. Peteni.

The company’s anniversary programming continues with upcoming performances including The Bacchae: An African Choral Ballet, scheduled as part of its July season.