Forming the first half of the bill, Ingoma (meaning song) is a specially commissioned piece by company dancer and choreographer Mthuthuzeli November, which imagines the struggles of black South African miners in 1946 – the same year in which 60,000 of them took courageous strike action. Through a fusion of ballet, African dance and singing, the performance by Ballet Black’s artists portrays a milestone moment in the country’s history.
To follow, a light-hearted and engaging narrative ballet by choreographer Luca Silvestrini, another original work for a mesmerising ensemble whose dancers are of black and Asian descent. Artistic Director Cassa Pancho is the recent recipient of the Freedom of the City of London for her contribution to diversity in ballet.
