Dancing to the tune of success

KNYSNA NEWS – A total of 30 dancers from the Sidwell Roman School of Ballet took part in the American Academy of Ballet (AAB) Performance Awards on 31 March in the Knysna Primary School hall.

The dancers, ranging from five to 27 years old, presented dance items from Level 1 to Level 12 (the highest that exist). They have been learning the AAB syllabus for the entire first trimester of the year, under the watchful eyes of Sidwell Roman and Courtney Drew-Meyer.

The dancers represent a wide variety of local schools from Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, namely: Fraaisig Primary School (one), Greenwood Bay College (two), Keurbosch School (one), Knysna Primary School (14), Oakhill (two), Sundrige Primary (one) and Riverwood Primary (two), as well as five home-schooled children and one dancer out of school.

The 30 dancers completed a total of 31 items, with only one – Zélie de Villiers – completing more than one level. A total of one silver, three silver with distinction, six silver with double distinctions, six gold and 15 gold with distinction were awarded. Five pupils received partial scholarships to go to New York to attend the American Academy of Ballet (AAB) for their summer ballet programme in 2024.

This year marked the fifth time that the Sidwell Roman School of Ballet entered the AAB Performance Awards.

A programme that emphasises both ballet technique and artistry, the AAB Performance Awards is an international phenomenon present in many countries including USA, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa.

All the choreographies were composed by Mignon Furman, the founder of AAB. Each AAB Performance Awards is adjudicated by an outside judge who is affiliated with AAB.

Sidwell Roman himself has been a judge since 2018 and has judged across South Africa and Israel.

Lise-Mari Victor earned finished Level 4 during the performance awards.