Angela Revie unpacks how 'Private Presley – The Ballet' expands its appeal beyond niche audiences

Ballet is often perceived as an art form catering to a niche and sophisticated audience. However, it isn’t. 

In fact, Mzansi Ballet has, over the years, made it appealing to a crossover audience through its myriad offerings. 

And it is doing so once again through its year-end production “Private Presley – The Ballet”.

International ballet sensation Jorge Wade from Mexico stars as Elvis Presley, with prima ballerina Angela Revie portraying a graceful and passionate Priscilla Presley. The audience will get to experience the triumphs, tribulations, and personal life of the "King of Rock and Roll" through this offering.

Stealing herself away for a quick chat from rehearsals at the start of the week, Revie couldn’t help but sing the praises of the production.

“I’ve been with Mzansi Ballet since its creation with Dirk Badenhorst. I’ve been working with him and we’ve put on many ballets from ‘Swan Lake’ to ‘Carmen’ to our contemporary features like ‘Queen’ and ‘Neil Diamond’. And I’ve been the resident choreographer with the company for many years. 

“Now with ‘Private Presley’, it was lovely because we have Sean Bovim coming in with a whole new flavour as the choreographer, so I get to focus on being a dancer on the show, which is lovely.”

On being paired with Wade, she admitted, “It’s been great. We have such a lovely natural connection, and we feel comfortable with each other, you know. It can be quite difficult when you don't know somebody to create a new partnership and build that trust between two people.

“It can take a bit longer sometimes. But, to be honest, we've really just clicked immediately. He’s a solid partner, incredibly strong, dynamic, and he also has amazing artistry. 

“From day one, when he looks at me and we are meant to be falling in love, he fully immerses himself into the character with me, which is amazing because we are both experienced dancers.”

She went on to qualify the latter part of her statement, noting that younger partners can struggle a bit to focus on the storytelling in rehearsal because they are so focused on technique, where they are lifting her.

As for working with Badenhorst as a director, she shared: “I’ve worked with him my entire career. The first time I interacted with him, I was about 14-15, and I entered his first-ever international ballet competition.

"And then he hired me in his company, this was years before Mzansi Ballet. He gave me my first job as a professional and sent me overseas to many other countries, giving me amazing opportunities to perform.

"He really is an amazing man. His passion for ballet - and not just for ballet - the world of dance and what he’s created and the opportunities he’s given to so many people from South Africa and abroad, it’s amazing. It's great to work with someone who has a true passion for ballet.”

Naturally, I was curious about the broader appeal of this and Mzansi Ballet's other productions.

Revie explained, “When you say ballet to people, they think of that traditional olden days ballet with tutus and 30 women standing still on the stage just creating pictures, which in itself, obviously, I love because this is my world. 

"But the younger generation doesn’t see the appeal in it. 

“With a ballet like this, it is Elvis Presley music, which you would also think is for the older generation, but I find that so many young people enjoy it. I haven’t met many people who said that they wouldn’t listen to Elvis. 

“And it is a mix of super classical aspects where you see the technical lifting and pirouetting and all of those quite traditional ballet moves, which is beautiful for the ballet lovers, but then you also get that rock and roll side of it. 

“Sean put his amazing flair into the whole ballet, where we are moving like Elvis. We have that old kind of style, we are boogying, throwing girls over shoulders, and doing flips and tricks. And the boys are doing amazing acrobatic jumps. I really feel like it caters for a wide variety of people to enjoy the show.”

Where: Pieter Toerien Theatre at Montecasino.

When: October 24 to November 30.