Saturday 9 May 14:00
Moravian Church Greyton
R200
Elogio de la Danza—Praise of Dance is an electrifying and innovative collaboration featuring four of South Africa’s foremost female performers. This visually and aurally arresting production weaves together the grace and precision of ballet (Bianca Carmen Schulz Poblete), the fire and emotional depth of contemporary flamenco (Che Adams), and the rich, virtuosic sound world of classical guitar (Nina Fourie-Gouws) and violin (Renée van der Westhuizen).
From the majesty of Bach and the ethereal brilliance of Pärt to the seductive rhythms of Piazzolla—and culminating in a thrilling homage to Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring—audiences will be swept across four centuries of music and movement. Powerful dance solos and exhilarating pas de deux ignite the stage, offering an immersive experience where music and dance converge in breathtaking synergy.
BIANCA CARMEN SCHULZ POBLETE
Bianca Carmen Schulz Poblete is a South African–Chilean ballerina, choreographer, and creative director whose work spans performance, choreography, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. A graduate of the Cape Academy of Performing Arts, she has performed with companies and choreographers including Cape Dance Company, Kelsey Middleton Dance Company, Marlin Zoutman’s New World Dance Theatre and performed in works choreographed by Mthuthuzeli November, Mamela Nyamza, and Christopher Huggins, with appearances at Artscape Theatre, Kalk Bay Theatre, The State Theatre and the National Arts Festival. She has trained internationally with institutions and artists such as Impulstanz Vienna, Yoram Karmi’s Fresco Dance Company, Anton Lachky, Alleyne Dance, and Rambert Contemporary Dance. Bianca is the co-founder of [Em]bodied Creatives, a Cape Town–based performing arts company dedicated to creating immersive works that bridge live performance, movement research, and digital media.
CHE ADAMS
Ché Adams is a foremost South African flamenco dancer, teacher, artistic director and owner of Tierra Flamenca Dance Studio & Company based in Cape Town. She holds an Instructor de Baile (ISDS) qualification and has studied in Spain extensively to pursue and enrich her knowledge of her artform. Ché has performed extensively as a critically acclaimed and award-nominated soloist at Wilvan Dance Theatre, La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre, and Tierra Flamenca. She teaches regularly at her own studio and has taught courses and masterclasses throughout the country.
NINA FOURIE-GOUWS
Hailed as “one of South Africa’s top performing artists” (Art of Guitar Festival), Nina Fourie-Gouws maintains an active concert schedule throughout Southern Africa with performances including multiple sold-out performances and standing ovations at the SU Woordfees, Greyton Genadendal Classical for All festival and Klein Karoo Klassique. She has performed as a guest artist on the South African television show, Kyknet’s Draadloos and Fiësta as well as a featured artist at the Volterra Guitar Project, in Italy. Since 2013 Nina Fourie-Gouws has been a guitar lecturer at Stellenbosch University where she teaches pre-undergraduate, undergraduate and postgraduate practical music studies, accompaniment, repertoire studies and teaching methodology.
RENEE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
Acclaimed chamber musician and former member of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata Tinta Barocca, the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa and the Johannesburg Philharmonic and Festival Orchestras, Renée van der Westhuizen is a violinist whose career has taken her across Southern Africa where she has taught, toured, studied and performed. Renee enjoys performing a large variety of musical genres and has recorded and performed with various artists including: Breyten Breytenbach, Danie Niehaus, Pedro Kruger, Eugenie Grobler, Jannie Moolman, as well as the Springbok Nude Girls, Crazy Lu, Prime Circle and the Parlotones.
