(Gerhard and Amor)
Spectacular, glitzy showcase of dance. (Review by Mary Ann Salvage)
The Playhouse Company in association with the SADTA of KZN
presented the 22nd Annual Dance Stage Production, Shall We Dance, which was once again very
successfully produced and directed by Neville Letard and Caryl Cusens.
The directors pulled out all the stops on this year’s show
to create a spectacular, glitzy showcase of dance. It was a well put together
mixture of local amateur talent with a fantastic array of South Africa’s very
own professional Ballroom, Latin and Exhibition Dancers.
With so many dancers and choreographers involved, it is
impossible to name them all. But an up and coming talent in the choreographic
field lies in the young Pavishen Paideya, whose tap number Moves Like Jagger proved to have lovely choreographed moves.
Another piece which caught my eye was Roxanne
with great choreography by Alain Rijnvis. It is no surprise to me that he was
nominated for Choreographer of the Year by the Mercury Durban Theatre Awards in
2011.
A touching performance by a male dancer and his lovely
partner in a wheelchair, dancing the Rumba, was quite a remarkable sight.
It was also lovely to see the reigning SA Professional
Ballroom Champions and former SA Ballroom Classic Show Dance Champions, Penwell
Nhlapo and Evelyn Kgole performing five numbers which included a Viennese
Waltz, a Quick Step and a slow Fox Trot.
An absolute treat to watch were the dynamic duo of the
reigning SA Latin Champions, Grant Esterhuizen and Jeanne Swart, who performed
a range of emotionally charged, energetic Latin pieces, the most stunning being
the Paso Doble, a rich Spanish style Latin American dance called Malaguena.
The highlight of the whole show was the unbelievable Gerhard
and Amor who brought their speciality act for the first time to the Playhouse
Stage. The couple shot to stardom after winning the world British Open Exhibition
Championships in 2013. They are currently the 4th top adage couple in the world
and will be defending their world title at Blackpool in 2015. They wowed the
audience with their breathtaking lifts and death-defying leaps with complete
trust in one another. The exceptional strength displayed by Gerhard and
beautiful control by Amor was something I have never experienced in this
country before. One could say a Pas de
Deux with a difference.
While it was evident that a whole lot of fun was had by all
on stage, I do feel that the directors could perhaps have chosen a bit more
wisely on some of the numbers presented and dancers used. There was far too
much repetitive choreography done in lines which is tedious to watch. These choreographers
need to realise that certain styles of dancing need to be adjusted for theatrical
performances.
A change to a MC who could move more elegantly on the stage
would perhaps put the finishing touches to this production. Although clearly a
favourite with the audience, Damon Beard tried his best but did not do it for
me and looked particularly clumsy next to all the dancers on stage.
Overall, Shall we
Dance was a magnificent feast to the eyes. “Bravo!” to the Lighting
Designers and Technicians who no doubt spent many hours plotting and setting up
the lighting and special effects. Sadly,
their names were not featured in the programme.
Shall We Dance
finishes today, so
hurry as you may still be able to avail yourself of a ticket. Bookings are at Computicket or at Box Office
one hour prior to the performance. - Mary Ann Salvage
Posts
