A Parkhurst-based ballet school will give audiences a glimpse into the years of training behind the art form when it presents its Vaganova Showcase at Roodepoort Theatre on Saturday, November 7.

The Russian School of Ballet (RSB), founded by Yana Auger in Johannesburg in 2009, will bring together between 35 and 40 dancers aged 10 to 19 to demonstrate their progression from beginner to advanced levels.

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Auger, who has spent over 30 years bringing Russian ballet training to South Africa, said the showcase offers audiences the opportunity to see the development of a dancer’s technique in one performance.

“The showcase is basically like watching years of training in one evening,” she said.

Unlike a traditional ballet concert, the showcase presents selected exercises from ballet classes, with groups taking to the stage in sequence to demonstrate the skills associated with their respective training levels.

Auger explained that the school does not follow a fixed syllabus; instead, teachers create exercises based on the dancers’ ages, levels and the technical skills they need to develop.

“We create our own syllabus,” she said, explaining that teachers are trained to develop exercises that build a dancer’s technique from one level to the next.

Vaganova method focuses on expression

One of the defining features of the Vaganova method is its emphasis on expressiveness through movement.

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“Expressiveness doesn’t come from mimicking the face,” Auger said.

She explained that dancers learn to communicate through their movements, strength and coordination, rather than relying on facial expressions alone.

The showcase will also allow audiences to focus on the technique itself, with dancers wearing their regular ballet uniforms rather than elaborate costumes.

Auger said the aim is to highlight the beauty of movement and demonstrate that the exercises performed in class are an essential part of developing a dancer, rather than simply preparation for a performance.

Trained at the Novosibirsk College of Arts and Culture and the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Auger established RSB to offer Russian ballet training in Johannesburg. The school describes its approach as the complete Vaganova method.

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Her students have gone on to pursue opportunities internationally. Among them are Candice Desilets, reported to be the first South African dancer to graduate from the Vaganova Academy in St Petersburg, and Dané Visagie, who graduated summa cum laude from Kosygin University in Moscow and is pursuing further studies at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory.

Auger’s connection to Roodepoort Theatre also extends beyond the upcoming showcase, having received a permanent star at the theatre during its 45th anniversary gala in recognition of her contribution to ballet in the region.

The school’s performance programme will continue in December when the Youth Russian Ballet Company presents its annual production of The Nutcracker at Roodepoort Theatre from December 5 to 6.

First staged by the company in 2022, the production brings together selected dancers from different schools, divided into mini, junior and senior groups. It combines professional original choreography with additional pieces designed to allow younger dancers to participate.

Alongside technical development, Auger places importance on creating a supportive environment in which dancers treat one another with kindness and respect.

She encourages company members to support each other through the challenges of training and performing, helping to foster a sense of camaraderie among dancers from different backgrounds.

The Vaganova Showcase takes place at Roodepoort Theatre on November 7 at 17:00, with tickets starting from R100.

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