Joburg Ballet Make UK Debut at The Royal Opera House With COMMUNION OF LIGHT

Joburg Ballet will make their UK debut at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre on Thursday 30 October, followed by a further three performances through to Sunday 2 November.

Presenting a programme of four UK premieres entitled Communion of Light, Joburg Ballet showcases works by South African choreographers Dane Hurst, Dada Masilo and Veronica Paeper, and Spanish choreographer Jorge Pérez Martínez.

In Resonance, his first work for Joburg Ballet following his appointment as the company’s artistic director earlier this year, Dane Hurst explores themes of diverse cultural connections and transformation, manifesting a vibrant vision of the future rooted in the lessons of the past. Taking inspiration from the energy and spirit cultivated in underground jazz clubs of historic South African melting-pot communities, the work celebrates the enduring power of music and dance to unite, heal and inspire.

For her only commission for Joburg Ballet, acclaimed South African choreographer Dada Masilo turned to Oscar Wilde’s Salomé, creating a work that revolves around power and the destructive nature of unbridled passion. Salomé was one of Masilo’s last creations before her sudden passing in 2024 at the age of 39.

Concerto for Charlie was created by Veronica Paeper in 1979 as part of a programme sponsored by the cosmetic house Revlon, with ‘Charlie’ in the title referring to the perfume of that name. It has no narrative and is purely a reflection in dance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No 2.

In Azul, Jorge Pérez Martínez has created a spirited piece distinguished by its expressive body language and pas de deux work. Danced to classical Spanish guitar compositions, Azul, the Spanish word for blue, has a fluid dance language reminiscent of flowing water.

Dane Hurst, Artistic Director of Joburg Ballet, says, “The programme honours South Africa’s recent milestone of 30 years of democracy, reflecting on our complex history while celebrating our present and imagining a future shaped by creativity and resilience. This landmark occasion celebrates the artistry of a ballet company from Africa and affirms the power of dance to connect cultures and communities across the world.”