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There is something quietly powerful about revisiting a ballet that has stood the test of time. And, when that revival coincides with a milestone anniversary, the emotion feels even more layered. This year, Joburg Ballet returned to Giselle at the Joburg Theatre, marking not only the company’s 25th birthday, but also 25 years since its first production of this romantic classic.
From the opening moments, the performance felt assured – clean, crisp and meticulously polished whilst still casting a hauntingly ghostly spell across the audience.
First performed in 1841, Giselle remains one of ballet’s most demanding and emotionally charged works. It is a story of love, betrayal and forgiveness; of innocence fractured and redeemed beyond the grave.
The charming peasant girl, Giselle, loves Albrecht, who, beneath his modest clothing, turns out to be a Duke. When she discovers that he cannot marry her because he is already engaged, Giselle goes mad and dies from a broken heart. She is then taken in by the vengeful Wilis, the souls of young girls abandoned by unfaithful lovers.
This production honoured its legacy while allowing the company’s unique style to shine through. There was a confidence in the staging – a sense that this was not merely a performance, but a work that has grown alongside the company itself.
This performance of Giselle was produced and staged by Angela Malan alongside assistance producers Karen Beukes-MacDonald, Nicole Ferreira-Dill, and Kim Viera. With Johan Engels exceeding expectations with his set design – transporting the audience from a quaint village to a smoky graveyard – and lighting design by Simon King, it is clear that this staging of Giselle was the product of South Africa’s ballet industries’ greatest minds working together.
Malan said: “This production aims to preserve and honour the first production and subsequent revivals staged by Marius Petipa in Saint Petersburg in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.”
She continues in summing up the ballet: “In today’s world filled with uncertainty, Giselle, a tale of love that survives betrayal and death, is seen as a message of hope. This quintessential Romantic ballet required immense dramatic and technical skill from the entire ensemble. From the joy and life of Act 1 to the grieving spirit and vengeful Wilis in Act 2, this ballet has brought invaluable artistic growth to generations of artists who have thrived on its challenges
As Giselle, Ryoko Yagyu delivered a performance that balanced technical precision with emotional vulnerability. Her Act I portrayal captured the lightness and naïveté of a young village girl in love, her footwork delicate yet buoyant.
The famed mad scene – always a litmus test for any ballerina taking on the role – unfolded with immaculate acting and quiet drama, making the heartbreak feel all the more devastating.
In Act II, she transformed into an ethereal Wili, her movement softened into an otherworldly fluidity that seemed to hover just above the stage. Her facial expressions were spot-on for a role, making us believe that she indeed was a betrayed but in-love Wilis, protecting her lover from beyond the grave.
As Giselle’s lover, Ivan Domiciano’s Albrecht carried an understated nobility, navigating the role’s technical demands with strength and clarity. His remorse in the second act felt measured and sincere, avoiding caricature and instead leaning into restraint. His technical ability shone throughout the performance, with clean lines, controlled turns and impressive jumps.
Mario Gaglione’s Hilarion provided a grounded counterpoint, often making the audience laugh at his antics, while Nigel Hannah as the Duke of Courland and Monike Cristina as Bathilde added regal weight to the first act’s courtly intrusion.
The peasant pas de deux – performed by Chloe Blair, Savannah Jacobson, Miles Carrot and Bruno Miranda – offered a bright and spirited technical flair, a welcome burst of virtuosity within the pastoral opening.
In the haunting second act, Tammy Higgins commanded the stage as Queen of the Wilis. Her authority was unwavering, her presence sharp and uncompromising. Cristina Nakos and Gabrielle Ghiaroni as attendants to Myrthe contributed to the striking uniformity of the corps – a section that was particularly impressive in its synchronicity.
The costumes deserve particular praise. They were exquisitely constructed, enhancing the romantic atmosphere without overwhelming it. The soft palette of Act 2 – all gauze and ghostly white – created a visual poetry that elevated the Wilis’ scenes into something truly transportive. The audience whispered that they were taken aback by the scene unfolding in front of them, feeling shivers down their spine and goosebumps cover their arms.
Despite the absence of a live orchestra, the recorded score did little to diminish the emotional resonance of the production. The dancers carried the weight of the storytelling fully, proving that at its core, ballet’s power lies in the body’s ability to speak.
This performance marked 25 years of Joburg Ballet – and 25 years since their first staging of Giselle. This added a quiet poignancy to the evening, with a sense of legacy in the air. The milestone reminded audiences of a company that has navigated change, challenge and growth, yet continues to honour the classics with integrity.
Dane Hurst, Artistic Director at Joburg Ballet, joined the cast’s curtain call to roll out a birthday cake and flowers for the principal dancers and producers. He said: “This performance of Giselle marks an extraordinary moment in the history of ballet in South Africa and in the life of Joburg Ballet. Twenty-five years ago, in February 2001, six dancers took an act of courageous vision that would forever change our cultural landscape. In the wake of the closure of The State Theatre Ballet, Angela Malan, Dirk Badenhorst, Iain MacDonald, Karen Beukes, Fiona Budd and Kimbrian Bergh chose not to let ballet disappear from Gauteng. Out of necessity, bravery and belief, they founded South African Ballet Theate, the company that would become Joburg Ballet.”
He continues that he wishes the 25th anniversary year becomes a symbolic turning point, one that elevates, unites and transcends limitations, while opening new pathways for growth, imagination and success.
Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg
Dates & Times: Thursday 12 February at 7pm; Friday 13 February at 7pm; Saturday 14 February at 2pm & 7pm; Sunday 15 February at 2pm
Ticket Prices: R250 – R670
Booking: Webtickets
South African State Theatre, Pretoria
Dates & Times: Friday 20 February at 12pm; Saturday 21 February at 3pm; Sunday 22 February at 3pm
Ticket Prices: R220 – R380
Booking: Webtickets
This was not a radical reinterpretation of Giselle. It did not need to be. Instead, it was a confident, beautifully executed reminder of why the ballet has endured for nearly two centuries – and why Joburg Ballet, at 25, stands firmly rooted in that tradition.
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