A ballerina travelling the world to find her place in it and discovering new dance forms in the process, was the plot of the latest production by the Cecil Jacobs Dance Project.
The show, Colour in Dance, was staged at the Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital hall on Sunday November 4, when pupils also received certificates and awards for completing the annual Royal Academy of Dance examination.
In the production, Alyssa Fransman, 8, from Westridge, discovers flamenco in Spain, enjoys “a whole new world” with Arabian dancers and encounters the elegance of ballet with music from The Phantom of the Opera.
She grows from being a Grade 1 dancer to a senior butterfly who flutters around in the final song from the movie, Honey which also ends with “I Believe I Can”.
After the recital, the girls received certificates and awards for excelling and completing the annual Royal Academy of Dance examination.
Mr Jacobs was particularly impressed with Reese Croutz, who achieved 81% for her Grade 4 examination and 75% for her Grade 5 examination.
He said 12 girls had completed the examinations, seven of whom had obtained distinctions.
Classical ballet teacher Cecil Jacobs, 76, and his protége, Chanelle Appollis, choreographed the productions.
Mr Jacobs has worked tirelessly for more than 50 years with underprivileged youth, using dance to drive social change. The project offers classical ballet, from pre-primary to advance level at 1 Anzio Crescent in Strandfontein, the home of Mr Jacobs and his wife, Brenda.
For more information call Ms Jacobs at 082 497 8887.