Joburg Ballet Unveils Spring Season Of Dance Featuring FIRST LIGHT and More

This October, Joburg Ballet is inviting you to its Spring Season of Dance in the Mandela Theatre at the Joburg Theatre from 3 to 12 October 2025. From iconic classical choreography to bold new creations, this season is a tribute to the artists and visionaries shaping the future of ballet in South Africa and beyond.

The Spring Season of Dance opens on Friday 3 October with the SANDT Spring Gala. Funded by the National Lotteries Commission and the National Arts  Council and presented by the South African National Dance Trust (SANDT) in partnership with Joburg Ballet, this red carpet gala event sets the tone for a season that honours excellence, while spotlighting emerging creative voices.

This star-studded gala performance with Royal Ballet Principal Dancers Sarah Lamb, Ryoichi Hirano and First Artist Lara Turk, Joburg Ballet, WGRUV Dance Company and the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Eddie Clayton, unites the finest talent from South Africa and abroad.

The programme is a dynamic showcase of works by celebrated choreographers. Several works by major 20th and 21st century choreographers will be presented in South Africa for the first time: the Diamonds Pas de Deux from George Balanchine's Jewels, a highlight from Within the Golden Hour by Christopher Wheeldon OBE, Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan by Sir Frederick Ashton. South African choreographers Veronica Paeper, Sean Bovim, Adele Blank and Dane Hurst will present works from their repertoires.

The second programme of the season is Celestial Bodies on Saturday 4 October at 14h00 and 19h00 and Sunday 5 October at 14h00. Audiences will be captivated by this world premiere by Joburg Ballet's Naledi Award-winning choreographer, Mario Gaglione. Created in partnership with the visionary Universe on Stage duo, Dr Luca Pontiggia and Yasheen Modi, behind the sell-out sensation Hidden Giants 2025, Celestial Bodies is an evocative and visually stunning exploration of cosmic themes, energy and movement.

The Spring Season of Dance culminates with First Light, a mixed programme of classical and contemporary works that blend tradition with bold new perspectives: a luscious revival of Act 3 from Raymonda produced by award-winning former Principal Dancer Shannon Glover; Concerto for Charlie, a moving and vibrant tribute by South African ballet icon Veronica Paeper; Classics of Spain, a fiery, rhythmically charged work celebrating the spirit and vibrancy of Spanish culture by Joburg Ballet Senior Soloist Bruno Miranda and two new works from Joburg Ballet's rising stars Tumelo Lekana and Chloé Blair. Performances on Thursday 9 October at 11h00, Friday 10 October at 19h00 and on  Saturday 11 October and Sunday 12 October at 14h00.

A highlight of the Spring Season of Dance is two Royal Ballet masterclasses presented by SANDT in partnership with Joburg Ballet on Saturday, 4 October at the Joburg Ballet studios. Sarah Lamb will give class for senior dancers, apprentices and professional dancers, while Lara Turk (a South African who has been with The Royal Ballet for 18 years but was formerly with Cape Town City Ballet) gives a class for younger dance students. After the master classes The Royal Ballet guests, Ryoichi, Sarah and Lara will have a combined Q & A session. Bookings for the master classes will open on 1 September; see social media pages and website for further information.

Joburg Ballet's Spring Season of Dance is a reflection of a broad artistic vision of the future, celebrating its distinctive South African identity, its extraordinary company of artists and its commitment to cultivating the next generation of talent.

This is a season that honours the legacy of choreographic giants while uplifting the voices that will define the future of dance.

Spring Season of Dance information:

Three programmes: SANDT Spring Gala | Celestial Bodies | First Light

SANDT Spring Gala date, time, price:

Fri 3 Oct at 18h00; R300, R400, R500, R600, R700

Celestial Bodies dates, times, price:

Sat 4 Oct at 14h00 & 19h00, Sun 5 Oct at 14h00; R200, R290, R350, R420, R510

First Light dates, times, price:

Thu 9 Oct at 11h00: all seats R130

Fri 10 Oct at 19h00, Sat 11 Oct at 14h00, Sun 12 Oct at 14h00: R200, R290, R350, R420, R510