THE SOUTH AFRICAN BALLET THEATRE
The South African Ballet Theatre is a non- profit performing arts (ballet) company proudly resident at The Joburg Theatre. SABT was founded by six dancers in 2001 and celebrated its 9th year of existence in February 2010. SABT has a Board of Directors, an Executive Committee, an Artistic Team, 16 full-time dancers, nine apprentice dancers, an extra-curriculum Ballet Academy for high schools students and three outreach schools offering weekly classes to 300 children in Alexandra, Soweto and Katlehong with weekly classes also being taught at the Foundation School (for remedial children) in Melville. The professional ballet company gives an average of 80 – 100 performances a year, gives two major seasons a year at the Joburg Theatre and has toured internationally (Denmark, Zimbabwe and Russia) as well as nationally (Port Elizabeth, East London, Grahamstown, Durban, Hilton, Nelspruit, Welkom and Kimberley).
In 2008 SABT was the winner of the 2007 PetroSA Proudly South African Nation-Builder of the Year Award.
The South African Ballet Theatre is committed to bringing classical ballet performances of Quality, Glamour, Escapism and Magic to the South African stage - to make ballet an art form to be known, loved and shared by all South Africans.
In November 2009 the SABT announced that the company, although debt-free, was facing huge financial challenges due to a number of factors including the economic recession and a drop in funding receipts. SABT has a yearly budget of R 12 million a year and ticket sales (as with any ballet company) only cover a third of the budget requirements. In December 2009 the SABT went through a restructuring process which unfortunately saw the retrenchment of ten staff members (six dancers and four support staff). SABT’s funding appeal launched at this time brought in an amount of R 2 million but this was still R 4 million short of the amount required to keep the company running at full capacity. In April 2010 additional funding totaling R 3.3 million was received from the NLDTF and Air Products. SABT is proactively continuing to seek sponsorships and new partnerships to ensure that their wealth of talented and highly skilled South African ballet dancers are able to continue to practice their careers.
SABT opened their year with a successful season of ‘Swan Lake’ at the Joburg Theatre, which ran from 12 March - 4 April 2010. SABT then hosted a sold-out World Cup Winter School from 21 – 26 June and a critically acclaimed season of ‘Carmen – The Ballet’ which ran at the Joburg Theatre from 13 – 29 August, accompanied by the SABT Sinfonia. SABT will finish 2010 with the Christmas favourite ‘The Nutcracker’, at the South African State Theatre from 19 November – 19 December.
SABT Board:
Cedric Ntumba (Chairman), James Campbell (Vice-Chairman), Trish Downing, Iain MacDonald, Mbali Dlamini, Sikkie Kajee, Susie Mabie, Ketabile Moya, Penny Ndlela, Grant Rogerson and Antoinette van Staden.
Executive Directors:
Iain MacDonald (Artistic Director) & Trish Downing (Managing Director)
EXCO:
Iain MacDonald, Trish Downing, Ishshah Basheh (Commercial Manager) and Teboho Nkoane (Stakeholder Relationship Manager)
Admin, Artistic and Support Staff:
6 (Ballet Mistress, Publicist, Company Manager, Ticketing Manager, Outreach Coordinator, Driver).
Dancers:
18 fulltime contracted dancers Graduates: 5 apprentice dancers
Company Profile
The South African Ballet Theatre is South Africa’s largest professional ballet company aiming to bring the glamour, escapism and magic of ballet to all. The independent South African Ballet Theatre Company was formed in February 2001 and consists of 18 dancers, mainly former members of the State Theatre Ballet Company, who were retrenched in June 2000 following the closure of the State Theatre, Pretoria.
The dancers who returned to the studio in January 2001 had no prospect of funding but were determined to dance and to continue with the struggle to keep dance alive in South Africa. SABT has established itself as a major player in the performing arts sector with productions of the classical ballets, new works by South African choreographers and collaborations across international boundaries.
In line with its aim to bring ballet to all communities, SABT has undertaken successful tours to all provinces in South Africa. The SABT Outreach Programme also teaches over +/-250 students the art of ballet in Katlehong, Melville, Alexandra and Soweto. Talented dancers progress to the Academy and Graduate programmes.
Click here to view the SABT organogram