Former ballet master hosts dance class

Staff Reporter|Published 11 months ago

Hisham Omardien with young dancers from Zama Dance School, the Eoan group and Cape Junior Ballet.

Cape Town City Ballet (CTCB) invited young dance students from Zama Dance School in Gugulethu, the Eoan Group in Athlone and Cape Junior Ballet in Rondebosch to take class with Hisham Omardien, former ballet master from BalletMet in Ohio, USA, who is in Cape Town to work with CTCB on David Nixon’s I Got Rhythm.

Omardien, a former CTCB principal was brought up in Worcester. During his time with CTCB he partnered, among others, ballerina Tracy Li, CTCB’s new artistic deputy, when they were both members of the company.

I Got Rhythm is the first season of CTCB's 90th anniversary year that opens on Friday May 17 at the Artscape Opera House and runs until Sunday May 26. The ballet is set to the classic works of George Gershwin - The Man I love, Rhapsody in Blue, Cuban Overture and more, played big-band style by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Brandon Philips. Tickets cost from R200 to R750 through Webtickets and Artscape box office on 021 421 7695. .

Hisham with Tracy Li, artistic deputy of Cape Town City Ballet.

Hisham Omardien with Njabulo Iwugo, 13, from Zama Dance School.