Okay Durban, after 24 years, shall we dance?

RETURNING for its 24th season, Shall We Dance – the glittering annual showcase of fabulous ballroom and Latin American dancing takes to the Playhouse Opera stage in Durban from September 9 to17.

The extravaganza features nearly 100 of KZNs dancers from the region’s top dance studios.

With dancers from as young as eight, to family groups, to international award-winning professionals, this year’s show is sure to dazzle, inspire and get everyones’ toes tapping.

Dance veterans Caryl Cusens and Neville Letard, join forces for their 24th year as joint directors. They co-ordinate featured styles of ballroom and Latin, as well as ballet, belly-dance, tap-dance, Irish and modern dance.

Returning as MC is East Coast Radio’s Damon Beard.

The professional couples this year are ballroom dancers Nicolai Bouet from Denmark and Anna Shagalina from the Ukraine, who represent Denmark in sport dancing. The pair have just competed at the Amateur Rising Star Blackpool Dance Festival where they finished 16th.

The Latin couple for this year are Darren Hammond from South Africa, dancing with Milla Lykke Nielsen from Denmark. They also competed in the Blackpool Dance Festival, finishing 11th.

Joining them is Darren’s brother Ryan who will be performing with Angelique Allison as this year’s show dance couple. A firm favourite with dancing fans across the country, Ryan will be familiar to Strictly Come Dancing South Africa audiences and is a regular on the Shall We Dance Durban stage.

Complementing the dance is a careful selection of music.

“This year we have everything from Queen to popular tracks by South African legends Mango Groove and Malaika. The programme includes music from Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Swing City, Fulanito, Austin Powers, Pirates of the Caribbean, Game of Thrones, Swan Lake and Singing in the Rain. And a dance show wouldn’t be complete without a bit of swing and a samba island type of music,” said show director Neville Letard.

The show began in 1991, and is probably the longest enduring annual production in Durban, if not in South Africa. It is presented by the Playhouse Company in association with the South African Dance Teachers’ Association.

Bookings can be made at www.computicket.co.za or 0861 915 8000.

PICTURE: VAL ADAMSON BIG FUN: Pictured in a sequence from Shall We Dance, are, from left: Luke Midgley, Shayleen Rudd, Miles Mthembu, Christine Fritsch, Cameron Scannell, Emma Buys, Nick Brown, Tayla Reid, James Willey, Jordyn Alford, Philip Barlow and Kimona Kisten.