31st shimmery dance showcase

***The cast in a crowd-pleasing moment from the 31st Shall We Dance, at Durban’s Playhouse Opera theatre only until Sunday, September 14.*** Pictures: Supplied.

Stage: Shall We Dance – Playhouse Opera theatre, Durban
– Final performances are at 1pm and 5pm today (Saturday, September 13); and 11am and 3pm tomorrow (Sunday, September 14). Booking is at Webtickets.
……REVIEW BY BILLY SUTER……

NOW in its 31st year, Shall We Dance remains Durban’s longest running show, a shimmery showcase for both professional and amateur dance talent that is once again co-directed by Durban’s Neville Letard and Caryl Cusens, who have been associated with this popular production since inception.

Presented, as usual, by the KwaZulu-Natal branch of the South African Dance Teachers’ Association, this year’s show, sadly, is conspicuously missing some elements of previous years. There’s no bellydancing, only a flash of Celtic dance and, rather curiously, no children for the cute factor (why, as there are so many local dance schools for children?).

However, these disappointments notwithstanding, there remains sufficient spark and sparkle here to keep the customers satisfied, as the ample opening night audience proved with some thunderous applause.

Professionals this year are Hong Kong-based South African Darren Hammond and his Ukranian partner Marina Steshenko, who perform five excellent routines. Charming, immaculately costumed, candy for the eyes and feisty, expressive performers, they are currently ranked third in Professional Latin World ratings. The pair is alone worth the ticket price for this show.

Hot on their heels as audience favourite, and huge fun, is a large, energetic troupe of hip-hop dancers. New to Shall We Dance, they are CreativeHeArts, choreographed by young Farren Lee Hutchinson, and they present two very exciting numbers. Let’s hope we see a lot more of them in future.

**Hong Kong-based South African Darren Hammond and his Ukranian partner Marina Steshenko, who perform five excellent routines.**

Also again flying the flag high for Shall We Dance is the large and exciting Rudra Dance Theatre, the ever-impressive Indian dance company led and choreographed by versatile Pavishen Paideya. Their vibrant final routine, titled Punjabi, is a riot of colour and exuberance.

The show is hosted this year by Lisa Bobbert, who presents, as herself, in varied sequinned gowns, and also introduces characters from former shows she’s been in – the car guard, the Tina Turner impersonator, the sombrero-wearing Mexican called Martin Ricky.

Her performance of Proud Mary is presented with backing from female singer-dancers from Durban’s International School of Performing Arts, of which Bobbert is a director. They, and other students from the academy, also do a fine job, with live vocals, of They Both Reached For the Gun, the ventriloquist number from Chicago.

Also highlights among the 31 numbers on the programme – one for each year Shall We Dance has been around – are Young Dancers Project, with a red-costumed interpretation of Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra; Strictly Ballroom’s graceful glide through a medley of instrumental renditions of songs from The Sound of Music; and various routines that mesh varying dance styles. There are also three elegant numbers by ballroom dancers Khulu and Sthe, and colourful offerings from The Mark Wilson Dancers, Dance Basics and Razzmatazz.

Remaining performances of Shall We Dance are at 1pm and 5pm today (Saturday, September 13); and 11am and 3pm tomorrow (Sunday, September 14). Booking is at Webtickets.