St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre inspires SunCares Arts Academy pupils

SunCares Arts Academy students with the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre cast

There are few things in life that can take an individual’s aspirations to greater heights than meeting ones icon. This is exactly the opportunity that Tsogo Sun and Montecasino gave to 20 Tsogo Sun SunCares Arts Academy students ...

The students, some as young as 10, were invited to a captivating viewing of parts of the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s production of Swan Lake at the Teatro at Montecasino. Not only did they meet their dance icons, they were also treated to an exclusive Q&A section with the dancers, where they were able to ask all their burning questions about what it takes to be a world-class ballet dancer. The most recurrent question on the lips of every child was, ‘Why did you choose to become a Ballerina?’, delighting the dancers, who encouragingly answered the students.

Bryan Hill, General Manager of the the Teatro at Montecasino says, “We are thrilled that the world renowned St Petersburg Ballet has chosen the Teatro at Montecasino as their venue of choice for their return to South Africa. That we are able to expose some of our SunCares students to this brilliant company is such an honour, and we know that they will be inspired by this superb version of Swan Lake, one of the all-time ballet classics.”

St Petersburg Ballet Theatre ballerina and Nkosikhona Ndebele from the SunCares Arts Academy

Anne DaSilva, a SunCares Arts Academy student was very excited to see the ballet as it was her first live show. “It opened up my mind to how technical it was and how much work it took to produce a whole production. The SunCares Arts Academy has opened up my world and shown me how to express myself through the arts,” she says.

The SunCares Arts Academy enhances the lives and opportunities of 480 charismatic students through 12 schools in Mayfair and Diepsloots, and aims to use art as a catalyst for change in these communities by developing artistic talent and life skills, and supporting educational framework by providing extra-curricular activities.

St Petersburg Ballet Theatre ballerinas pictured with Pupils

Says Rob Collins, Chief Marketing Officer of Tsogo Sun, “Exposing the SunCares Arts Academy students to the possibilities of their future through professional productions and personal contact with the performers themselves, allows the children insight into the world of performance art and enhances their knowledge of the tools and characteristics needed to go on to a career they aspire to. This coincides with the comprehensive view of the SunCares programme – the belief that artistic training alone is not enough; only when coupled with enriching life skills can talent and ambition be honed and moulded into tangible goals.”

The St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre comprises some of the ballets world’s finest performers, hailing from the world-famous Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet and will be gracing the Teatro at Montecasino stage this month, from 10 to 20 July 2013, with their rendition of Swan Lake. Tickets are now on sale through Computicket.