BALLET: Cubans infuse Don Quixote with flair

TAMMY BALLANTYNE, Business Day

PROBABLY the biggest gamble Dirk Badenhorst has ever made is on Mzansi Productions’ full- length ballet, Don Quixote. Badenhorst, director of Mzansi, has never been shy of facing up to a challenge.

He’s assembled a cast made up of Mzansi dancers, 17 young Cubans from various institutions in Cuba, as well as guest artists from Australia, Canada and the US and student dancers from various schools in Joburg. Angela Malan has coached them into the roles alongside Cuban teachers Elena Cangas Martinez, Ana Julia Bermudez and NorMaria Olaechea, who have come from Havana.

Does it deliver a high-quality production of "ballet like we like it"? On many levels, indeed it does. The diverse mix of cultures provides an exciting and flamboyant atmosphere; glorious colour and texture is provided by both costumes and set design by Andrew Botha; and Stan Knight’s lighting is evocative.

The Cubans are simply mind- blowing. It’s rare to hear a South African ballet audience clap, roar, sigh and appreciate performances so noisily . Young as they are, these dancers combine technique with artistry; they perform with an unusual and keenly intuitive sense of musicality. Cynthia González Rodriguez, all of 15 years old, performs Kitri with a confidence many professional dancers lack — she owns the stage . Her allegro, pirouettes and fouettés are effortless, performed with abandon and complete belief in her ability. Her rock-solid balances are breathtaking. Only one thing is missing: her youth doesn’t allow her to get all the subtleties or nuances of a more worldly-wise, flirtatious woman.

Michael Revie, opening night’s Basilio, revs up the action with a supercharged performance. He is a sure and confident partner and pulls off his own impressive allegro solos.

Two accomplished scene- stealers are Luis Fuentes Bermúdez de Castro as the street urchin, Criado; and Claudia Monja as Mercedes. Andile Ndlovu, guesting from Washington Ballet, is a sublime Espada, the toreador, as are his henchmen, who entertain with bravado and complicated twists and jumps with swirling capes.

This version’s choreography is a bit of a mish-mash, with some of the recorded soundtracks a bit hard and fuzzy on the ears. Despite this, the production is a breath of fresh air with a cast that delivers on all fronts. There’s no doubt that exchange is good; the ballet celebrates co-operation and collaboration. There’s been mutual respect and deep commitment to the project from all involved. The opening night audience was on its feet before the curtain fell.