The Cape Town City Ballet originated from the UCT Ballet Company, which was established by Dulcie Howes in 1934. Dr. Howes was adamant that this dance company would give opportunity to talented individuals, irrespective of race or color. The Company was involved in the founding of Maynardville Open-Air Theatre on 1 December 1950, with its opening performance of Les Sylphides.[1][2][3][4] In 1963 the Cape Town City Ballet Company took over management of the Maynardville theater's ballet performances.[5]
The company became the CAPAB (Cape Performing Arts Board) Ballet Company under the directorship of David Poole.
The company initially benefited from government spending on the arts; its 60-strong company staged lavish productions at the Artscape Theatre Centre (previously known as the Nico Malan in Cape Town), toured to the 1820 Settlers National Monument Theatre in Grahamstown, the Civic Theatre in Johannesburg, and the Port Elizabeth Opera House. Funding from the government stopped in 1994. In 1997 the company became Cape Town City Ballet, a non-profit organization under the leadership of Elizabeth Triegaardt. Professor Triegaardt was both the executive director of the company and the director of the UCT School of Dance.
Professor Triegaardt remained on the Board of Directors for the Cape Town City Ballet until April 2019. Afterwards, former principal ballerina, Tracy Li filled the position of Acting Executive Director from April to September 2018. Debbie Turner, the current CEO, took office in 2018.
Cape Town City Ballet mainly performs versions of traditional classics reworked by resident choreographer, Veronica Paeper.
2021
ALCHEMY – THREE DANCES featuring Robert North’s TROY GAME, George Balanchine’s CONCERTO BAROCCO and Jiří Kylián’s FALLING ANGELS
CARMEN – choreography by Veronica Paeper
INGOMA – choreography by South African born Mthuthuzeli November. Commissioned by Cassa Pancho for Ballet Black in London.
LES SYLPHIDES choreography by Mikhail Fokine. Staged by Lynn Wallis.
SERENADE – choreography by George Balanchine.
CAPE TOWN CITY BALLET – BACK ON STAGE featuring George Balanchine’s SERENADE and MOON BEHIND THE CLOUDS, a suite of works made during the time of Covid-19, by South African choreographers Veronica Paeper, Kirsten Isenberg, Yaseen Manuel, Lindy Raizenberg and Marlin Zoutman.
2020
CAPE TOWN CITY BALLET – BACK ON STAGE featuring George Balanchine’s SERENADE and MOON BEHIND THE CLOUDS, a suite of works made during the time of Covid-19, by South African choreographers Veronica Paeper, Kirsten Isenberg, Yaseen Manuel, Lindy Raizenberg and Marlin Zoutman.
2019
A CHRISTMAS CAROL – THE STORY OF SCROOGE – choreography by Veronica Paeper
SATORI – featuring Kenneth Tindall’s POLARITY.Michelle Reid’s SHEEPLE, and George Balanchine’s CONCERTO BAROCCO.
SLEEPING BEAUTY – featuring guest artists Vadim Muntagirov, (The Royal Ballet) and Tatiana Melnik (Hungarian National Ballet) and Precious Adams (English National Ballet and Andile Ndlovu (Washington Ballet). Staged by Denise Schultze Godfrey.AMARANTH – featuring George Balanchine’s Serenade, Frank Staff ‘s Transfigured Night and Christopher L Huggins’ Enemy Behind the Gates
Poetry in Motion 2 - the production of 2010 was supplemented by additional dance vignettes created by well-known choreographers, including Adele Bank, Robin van Wyk, Erica Brumage, Lindy Raizenberg and Veronica Paeper
Balletscapes - premiere of African Landscapes, and includes Paquita and excerpts from the popular works of Paeper, Poole, Prokovsky and others in the programme
Ballet Magic — featuring Nomvula – After the Rain, Tango Nights and excerpts from act 3 of The Nutcracker
Cape Town City Ballet Celebrates 10 Years (tribute to Phyllis Spira and Eduard Greyling) — scenes from La Bayadère as well as Adele Blank's Mad Dogs, Robin van Wyk's Nomvula, After the Rain and the premiere of Sean Bovim's Tanzanite Ten with extracts from his Tango Nights and Queen at the Ballet. Hans van Manen's Trois Gnossiennes and the pas de deux from Kenneth MacMillan's Concerto were also performed.
Ballets Nouveaux - Rudi van Dantzig's Four Last Songs and Pas de Six, Lindy Raizenberg's Like So, Robert North's Entre Dos Aguas, while guest artistes from the Cuban National Ballet, Veronica Corveas and Jose Losada performed Diana and Actaeon.
Nomvula – After The Rain — premiere to music of South African rock group Freshlyground
Ballets al Fresco - Rudi van Dantzig's Four Last Songs and Robert North's Entre Dos Aguas
Viva Veronica - tribute to choreographer Veronica Paepar. Scenes from her works: Carmen, Orpheus in the Underworld, Concerto for Charlie, Ten Pieces, Emperor Waltz
Gala Evening with guest artists — Thomas Edur and Agnes Oaks (Don Quixotepas de deux), Desire Samaai and Jonathan Ollivier (pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream), as well as highlights from the company's repertoire over the past seventy years.
