St Petersburg Ballet Theatre inspires Arts Academy pupils

This was 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 session with the dancers where they were able to ask all their burning questions about what it took 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 said, “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.”

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 is and how much work it takes 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 said.

The SunCares Arts Academy enhances the lives of 480 charismatic students from 12 schools in Mayfair and Diepsloot, 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.