Choreographer – Sarafina Magazine

A Conversation with Shelley Lothian

Shelley Lothian is an award-winning choreographer, director, singer, actress and dancer. Her performance credits include The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Boys in the Photograph, Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You, Show Boat and Cabaret. She directed Chef, Rattle and Roll; The Purr Factory and Maybe Baby It’s You. She served as Resident Director on Janice Honeyman’s Show Boat, Matthew Wild’s Cabaret and West Side Story; David Kramer’s Orpheus in Africa and District Six- Kanala, and most recently King Kong with Jonathan Munby at the Fugard Theatre. She was also Associate Director on the international musical Tiger Bay. She has choreographed various productions including The King and I, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, District Six- Kanala and Sneeuwitjie. Shelley’s other choreographic credits include My Fair Lady; Chef, Rattle and Roll and Liefling – all of which received Naledi Theatre Award nominations, as well as Fiddler on the Roof and The Pirates of Penzance which both won the Naledi Theatre Award for Best Original Choreography. She is currently starring in the Fugard Theatre’s production of Kinky Boots where she also serves as Resident Director. Continue reading →

July 3, 2019September 26, 2019 by Sarafina Magazine Categories: Actor, Actress, Arts, Cape Town, Choreographer, Conversation, Dance, Dancer, Director, Interview, Musical, Now Playing, Performer, Photography, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, Singer, South Africa, The Fugard, Theater, Theatre, Uncategorized, Woman, Women, WomxnTags: Actress, Advice, Cape Town, Choreographer, Conversation, Dancer, Director, Kinky Boots, music, Musical, Naledi Award, Performer, Photography, Resident Director, Shelley Adriaanzen, Shelley Lothian, Singer, South Africa, The Fugard, Theater, Theatre, Women 2 Comments

A Conversation with Debbie Turner

In October 2018, Debbie Turner was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Cape Town City Ballet. She founded the Cape Academy of Performing Arts in 1985 and went on to become the founding Artistic Director of the Cape Dance Company in 1995. Recently, she sat on the prestigious panel of judges for the inaugural 2018 season of M-Net’s Dancing With The Stars SA. She has won many awards for her choreography including the FNB Vita Award, and a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival for Cape Dance Company’s Blue. In addition, the school received a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival for Bittersweet in 2013, which resulted in the production of Between The Lines the following year on the Arena Programme and at the inaugural Cape Town Fringe Festival. Debbie is committed to restoring, revitalising and aligning South African dance with the 21^st Century global trends of performance through sustainable, multi-pronged approach to performance excellence, diverse repertory relevant to current times, dance education, and professional development of dancers while preserving the traditions of classical ballet and academic dance in general.

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June 19, 2019June 26, 2019 by Sarafina Magazine Categories: Arts, Ballet, Cape Dance Company, Cape Town, Cape Town City Ballet, CEO, Conversation, Culture, Dance, Dancer, Director, Interview, Now Playing, Organisation, Performer, Photography, Production, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, Uncategorized, Woman, WomxnTags: Advice, Amaranth, Artscape, Ballet, Ballet Dancer, Cape Dance Company, Cape Town, Cape Town City Ballet, CEO, Choreographer, Choreography, Conversation, Dance, Dancer, Debbie Turner, Interview, Photography, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, Women 2 Comments

A Conversation with Tessa Denton

Tessa Denton is an actor, director, choreographer and designer. She was recently appointed to Gate69’s art department where she is tasked with creating the obscure, creative, daring and over the top wigs, headpieces, earrings and accessories. Over the years, she has created many looks for a variety of clients, whether it be with make-up, body paint, dress setting, sets, decor, props, wigs, accessories or even just conceptualising ideas events. As an actor, some of her TV credits include; Die Boekklub, Getroud met Rugby, Donkerland, Binnelanders, 7de Laan and Generations. Select theatre credits include; Mis, Altyd in my drome, The Rocky Horror Show, Grease, The Full Monty and Lady Macbeth in the adult pantomime Macbeth. Later this year she’ll be seen on stage in Mis in Johannesburg followed by two TV appearances in Fynskrif and Sara se Geheim. Currently, her wig designs can be seen on stage at Gate69 in their latest show, Non-Specific.

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May 1, 2019May 1, 2019 by Sarafina Magazine Categories: Actor, Actress, Artist, Arts, Cape Town, Conversation, Designer, Gate69, Interview, Now Playing, Performer, Photography, Production, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, Singer, South Africa, Stylist, Television, Theater, Theatre, Uncategorized, Wig Designer, Woman, Women, WomxnTags: 7de laan, Actor, Actress, Afrikaans, Altyd in my drome, Choreographer, Conversation, Designer, Die Boekklub, Director, Donkerland, Fynskrif, Gate69, Generations, Getroud met rugby, Interview, Macbeth, Mis, Musical Theatre, Photography, Rocky Horror, Sara se geheim, Television, Tessa Denton, The Full Monty, Theater, Theatre, TUT, TV, Wig Stylist, Women Leave a comment

A Conversation with Adele Blank

Adele Blank is a choreographer, dance instructor and Director of Free Flight Dance Company, which she formed in 1987. She has trained, performed, choreographed and taught extensively in classical ballet and contemporary dance both locally and abroad. Since the beginning of the millennium, Adele’s artistic reach has extended far beyond the realm of dance. She has been responsible for numerous local and international TV adverts, movies, operas, fundraisers and a host of industrial theatre productions. Whilst coaching and teaching, she has created for many companies and is very involved in community and outreach programmes. Adele is a recipient of the Arts & Culture Trust Lifetime Achievement Award for Dance. We sat down to chat with her about devoting her life to dance and directing her latest project, Blue Violin, which will be performed at Artscape for a limited run. Continue reading →

March 27, 2019March 27, 2019 by Sarafina Magazine Categories: Advice, Arts, Artscape, Ballerina, Ballet, Cape Town, Cape Town City Ballet, Conversation, Culture, Dance, Dancer, Director, Interview, Joburg, Johannesburg, music, Musical, Now Playing, Organisation, Performer, Photography, Production, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, Television, Theater, Theatre, Uncategorized, Woman, Women, WomxnTags: Adele Blank, Advice, Artscape, Ballet, Blue Violin, Cape Town, Cecchetti, Choreographer, Contemporary Dance, Conversation, Dance, Dancer, Director, Free Flight Dance, Interview, Lifetime Achievement, Modern Dance, Musicals, Photography, So You Think You Can Dance, South Africa, Stage, Theater, Theatre, TV, Women 2 Comments

A Conversation with Louisa Talbot

Choreographer and dancer Louisa Talbot became a soloist in the Cape Dance Company at the age of 13, specialising in contemporary and classical dance. She became a member of Jazzart Dance Theatre and went on to freelance for Free Flight Dance Company and Bovim Ballet. In 2004, Louisa started her musical theatre career with the musical Show Boat. She began choreographing musicals for The Fugard Theatre in 2013 and went on to be nominated for a Best Choreography Naledi Theatre Award for The Rocky Horror Show. Other theatre choreography credits include Cabaret, Funny Girl and West Side Story which is currently running at Artscape in its return Cape Town season. Continue reading →

March 21, 2018April 2, 2019 by Sarafina Magazine Categories: Arts, Cape Town, Choreographer, Conversation, Dance, Dancer, Interview, Photographer, Photography, Production, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, The Fugard, Theater, Theatre, Uncategorized, West Side Story, Woman, WomenTags: Cabaret, CAPA, Cape Dance Company, Cape Town, Choreographer, Choreography, Conversation, Creative Team, Dance, Dancer, Funny Girl, Johannesburg, Louisa Talbot, Musical, Naledi Award, Rocky Horror, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, The Fugard, Theater, Theatre, West Side Story Leave a comment

A Conversation with Veronica Paeper

Prolific choreographer and ballet dancer, Veronica Paeper has created more than 40 ballets, among them sixteen full-length works. During her performing career Veronica rose to become a principal dancer with three South African companies; CAPAB Ballet, PACT Ballet and PACOFS Ballet. Her latest production, Carmen, is a restaging of her award-winning choreography and makes its way to Joburg Ballet for a limited engagement. Continue reading →

March 14, 2018 by Sarafina Magazine Categories: Artist, Arts, Ballet, Choreographer, Conversation, Culture, Dance, Dancer, Interview, Joburg, Joburg Ballet, Johannesburg, Now Playing, Photography, Production, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, Theater, Theatre, Uncategorized, Woman, WomenTags: Ballet, Carmen, Chanel Katz, Choreographer, Choreography, Conversation, Dance, Dancer, David Poole, Frank Staff, Joburg Ballet, Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg, Opinion, Photography, Veronica Paeper 3 Comments

A Conversation with Mamela Nyamza

Mamela Nyamza is an internationally renowned choreographer, dance artist, activist and Standard Bank Young Artist winner. After a successful run in The Netherlands, her carefully curated double bill, Rock to the Core and De-Apart-Hate arrives at the Baxter Theatre for a limited engagement before jetting off to be performed in Germany.
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October 18, 2017November 26, 2017 by Sarafina Magazine Categories: Actor, Actress, Advice, Art, Artist, Arts, Baxter, Cape Town, Choreographer, Conversation, Culture, Dance, Dancer, Interview, Now Playing, Performer, Photography, Production, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, The Baxter, Theater, Theatre, Uncategorized, WomanTags: Activist, Advice, Arlene Westergaard, Art, Ballet Dancer, Baxter, Baxter Theatre, Cape Town, Choreographer, Chris de Beer, Conversation, Creator, Dancer, De-Apart-Hate, Fleur du Cap, inspirational, inspiring, Mamela Nyamza, Performance, Performance Art, Performer, Photography, Protest, Rock to the Core, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, Theater, Theatre, Theatremaker, Woman, Women, Womxn 6 Comments

A Conversation with Esther Nasser

Less than a year ago, Esther Nasser was named CEO of Joburg Ballet. As a choreographer, Nasser has created an extensive repertoire of new works to both commissioned and existing music and soundtracks, winning several awards for choreography. Nasser became involved in transformation in dance and theatre before South Africa achieved democracy in 1994 and remains actively involved in the process. She has established community and outreach projects, winning the Gauteng Achievement Community/Outreach Award in 1999. Nasser has also taught and lectured at leading SA universities and technikons, and has choreographed and directed extensively for television. Continue reading →

June 28, 2017June 28, 2017 by Sarafina Magazine Categories: Art, Arts, Ballerina, Ballet, CEO, Conversation, Culture, Dance, Dancer, Interview, Joburg, Joburg Ballet, Sarafina, Sarafina Magazine, South Africa, Uncategorized, Woman, WomenTags: Ballet, CEO, Choreographer, Contemporary Dance, Conversation, Dance, Dancer, Esther Nasser, Interview, Joburg Ballet, Johannesburg 1 Comment

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