Amsterdam ballet stars to headline SANDT's Legacy of Dance Gala at Artscape

Dutch National Ballet principal dancer Anna Ol and soloist Jan Špunda will headline the South African National Dance Trust's (SANDT) Legacy of Dance Gala at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town on 24 and 25 October, in what organisers describe as an unprecedented gathering of South African dance talent on one stage.

The pair will perform the “Black Swan“ pas de deux from Rudi van Dantzig's Swan Lake in its entirety, alongside Embers, a neo-classical work by Dutch National Ballet's newly appointed artistic director, Ernst Meisner. Both pieces will be accompanied live by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Brandon Phillips.

Ol, born in Siberia and trained in Krasnoyarsk, danced with major Russian companies before joining Dutch National Ballet as a principal in 2015. Her repertoire spans the classical canon – including Swan Lake, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, Don Quixote and Romeo and Juliet – as well as works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Kenneth MacMillan, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon and Hans van Manen. She received the Alexandra Radius Prize, one of the Netherlands' most prestigious dance honours, in 2025.

Meisner said he was “thrilled that Anna Ol and Jan Špunda will be representing Dutch National Ballet at the SANDT Legacy of Dance Gala with the Swan Lake pas de deux and Embers”, adding: “I wish everyone involved as well as the audiences, wonderful and inspiring performances!”

Czech-born Špunda, a soloist with Dutch National Ballet, trained at English National Ballet School and Bayerisches Staatsballett before joining the company. He won third prize at the Tallinn International Ballet Competition and later received the Outstanding Artistry Award from Dance Europe at the Youth America Grand Prix in New York, with a repertoire that includes works by William Forsythe, Hans van Manen, John Neumeier, Alexei Ratmansky, David Dawson, Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor and Christopher Wheeldon.

The gala brings together eight South African dance entities – Cape Town City Ballet, Joburg Ballet, WGRUV Dance Company, Cape Ballet Africa, Jazzart Dance Theatre, the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy, the Waterfront Theatre School, and top-placed medallists from the recent 13th South African International Ballet Competition, including Jayden Josh Samuels – alongside the two visiting Dutch dancers.

Organisers describe it as a landmark celebration of the country's dance landscape, spanning established companies, independent artists, emerging dancers and training institutions. A short film will also be screened paying tribute to South African dancers who have built international careers.

For SANDT, the gala reflects its ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for local artists and strengthening ties between South African and international dance, including the historic artistic links between South Africa and Dutch National Ballet through choreographer John Cranko and former CAPAB Ballet principal Eduard Greyling, who danced with the Dutch company.

The Legacy of Dance Gala is supported by Artscape, the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, the Joan St Leger Lindbergh Trust, the Lorenzo and Stella Chiappini Trust, the Dulcie Howes Ballet Trust and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, among others.

Performances take place at the Artscape Opera House on Saturday 24 October at 19:30 and Sunday 25 October at 14:30. Tickets cost from R350 to R550, with group discounts available for bookings of 10 or more; advance booking is recommended.

Media contact: Allison Foat, allison@divapr.co.za, 083 635 6312, South African National Dance Trust, www.sandt.co.za