Art runs in the family for Blairgowrie dance instructor
From the Johannesburg Youth Ballet to teaching students aged three to 70, Alexandra le Maitre continues her family’s artistic legacy through dance.
For Blairgowrie dance instructor Alexandra le Maitre, a life in the arts was almost inevitable.
She says that her family has always had an artistic streak running through them, from her grandmother being the first person to bring the Margaret Morris movement to South Africa to her uncle and aunt being stage manager for the Johannesburg Youth Ballet and wardrobe mistress, respectively, there was no doubt that she would also be artistic in her own way.
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At seven years old she started learning ballet, and soon after she showed interest in Spanish dance, starting that at 10 years old. Maitre realised that her form of art, as inherited from her talented family, was dance. She joined the Johannesburg Youth Ballet and performed various roles, including Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty and Duck in Peter and the Wolf. She also appeared in ballets such as Opus 7 and Circle choreographed by Rulov Senekal. “My roles in Spanish dance productions included Carmen and in House of Bernada Alba.”
The instructor also mentioned that she got nominated for an award for Best Female Contemporary Dancer for performing in Del Alma – A Flamenco Journey. In addition to being part of the Johannesburg Youth Ballet, she studied at UCT ballet school. “Performing, whether it is ballet or flamenco, gives me a sense of freedom. A freedom from myself and a freedom to really connect with myself at the same time. Performing makes one feel like you are flying, while being completely grounded and giving one a great sense of power.”
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After completing her studies at UCT ballet school, she shifted to an office job for a while, which she did not like very much. So, she went ahead and did her teacher’s exams in ballet and Spanish dance. “I love watching the children develop and grow over the years. It is an honour to be part of their life journey, and the adults enjoy coming to classes as it is mentally stimulating, physically taxing, and enables them to completely get away from the stresses and tribulations of daily life.”
Today, Maitre teaches ballet and Spanish dance to a group of students who she refers to as wonderful. With ages ranging between three and 70, Maitre is carrying on a family legacy of artistry, while inspiring a new generation to find freedom through movement.
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