Two Decades One InSPIRAtions | 20th Celebration & Tribute to Phyllis Spira
July 2010

On Sunday 1st August 2010, Dance for All (DFA), under the Artistic Direction of Philip Boyd, will present a spectacular once-off Gala performance at the Artscape Opera House, entitled Two Decades, One InSPIRAtion , in celebration of twenty years of dance and in honour of the late Phyllis Spira OMSG, Prima Ballerina Assoluta and the former Assistant Artistic Director at DFA whose legacy lives on through its students and the organisation. Long standing DFA supporters who have confirmed their support include the well known Aviva Pelham who will direct the Gala and sing a solo item, whilst the DFA dancers perform alongside. Christopher Kindo will choreograph a piece that will feature his former CAPAB colleagues, the dancers Juanita Yazbek, Allison Foat, Johan Jooste, Karen Jooste, Carol Kinsey, Nigel Lucas, Ann Lloyd, Sharon Paulsen, Candice Braithwaite, Mzonke Jama, and others. DFA’s Honorary Life Patron Archbishop Tutu and radio personality and DFA board member Soli Philander will also be present to celebrate this auspicious occasion. The Gala will showcase the talent and skills of the DFA students who will be joined by top local dance companies, many of whom have former DFA trainees among their dancers. Audiences will see contributions from DFA’s own project-based InSPIRAtions Dance Company, the Cape Dance Company, La Rosa, UCT School of Dance, Jazzart, Cape Town City Ballet and the Cape Junior Ballet, amongst others. DFA is a non-profit Section 21 Company that was established 20 years ago. Initially, only ballet was taught to a small group of children in Gugulethu. Today DFA teaches a variety of dance forms to the children and youth in Cape Town and beyond. Over the last 20 years, thousands of children from previously disadvantaged backgrounds have been given the opportunity to dance, gain self esteem, understand discipline and receive training. While the roots of DFA are with the township youth, the fruits of its training programmes are seen in the world class professional dancers that DFA has produced such Xola Putye, now a Senior Soloist with Cape Town City Ballet, and another DFA graduate, Noluyanda Mqulwana, who is presently guest-performing with the Swiss dance company, Cinevox. She will return to South Africa to choreograph and perform in the 20th Anniversary Gala before joining Disney’s The Lion King in Singapore. Phyllis Bernice Spira (1943 – 2008) South Africa’s Prima Ballerina Assoluta, was often compared to the great dancer Alicia Markova by contemporaries and critics. Ninette de Valois referred to her as "a baby Markova" while the editor of Dance & Dancers, Peter Williams, said that Spira had a flavour of Fonteyn “but with an approach all her own". Educated at the Waverley GHS in Johannesburg, she was accepted into the Royal Ballet School in 1959, and soon afterwards joined the Royal Ballet Touring Company. As a soloist with the company she toured extensively in Europe , the Middle East and the Far East. In 1964, she turned down an international career and refused an invitation to dance with the legendary Rudolf Nureyev because she wanted only to be a full-time dancer in South Africa. She returned to South Africa in 1964 to join the PACT Ballet Company, before moving to CAPAB Ballet the following year. She toured with the National Ballet of Canada from 1967-1968. Spira remained at CAPAB for the next 28 years and gained the status of Prima Ballerina Assoluta in 1984, a rare title held by only a few dancers worldwide. She was known for her partnerships with Gary Byrne and Eduard Greyling. Her dance career ended in 1988 after an injury on the opening night of Giselle, but she remained involved in the ballet world as Principal Ballet Mistress of CAPAB until 1999 during which time it was renamed the Cape Town City Ballet Company. She and her husband, Philip Boyd, ran the Dance for All Programme which is based in Athlone and operates in the townships of Gugulethu, Nyanga and Khayelitsha in Cape Town and as far afield as Barrydale, Bonnievale, Montagu and Nkqubela, a township just outside Robertson. In 1991, Phyllis received South Africa 's highest civilian award for excellence, the Order of Meritorious Service Gold (OMSG). She twice received the Nederburg Award for Ballet, and also was awarded the Lilian Solomon Award and the Bellarte Woman of the Year Award for the Cape IN 1979. In 2003, she was named a member of the Order of the Disa for her contribution to ballet and the development of ballet in disadvantaged communities. She also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport in 2004 for her contribution to ballet in South Africa. This memorable gala event will be one of those rare occasions when Cape Town dance lovers will be able to see several of the Cape’s top companies performing alongside each other onstage. The performance, with lighting by Teddy Davies, takes place on Sunday 1st August at 7pm and tickets cost R250 throughout via Computicket or 0214217695. For further information, call 021 697 5509.