MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

A Pool of Delight Surrounded by Excellence

Table of Contents

Let’s get one thing straight here: My background and schooling worked heavily against my ever really getting to grips with dance as an art form. Think rugger bugger, boys only upbringing in a house whose father was a successful electrical contractor working with his hands and you get the picture.

After a long and tough week, Sue and I attended the WGRUV Dance Company’s presentation of Angels in Africa at the Nelson Mandela Bay Theatre Complex last night.

Frankly – I was looking forward to a bit of a snooze and warned Sue to listen out for and quell the beginnings of any snoring from her date partner.

Luckily for Holly Gruver – Artistic Director and Founder of the WGRUV Dance Company – I stayed awake and enthralled for the entire time.

Linking each performance were the Musicians of Africa Trio – Sharon Paul on Vocals, Emanuel Paul on Bass, Sizekile Shuba on Cello and Phakamani Pega on Violin) who played compositions ranging from music composed by Johannes Brahms to Henry Mancini and more.

But it was the dancers that captivated me no end.

Dance Excellence

As a dabbler in the art of Yoga I understand just how massively strong and practiced one has to be when it comes to certain yoga balancing poses and to watch the dancers effortlessly go into Vertical Splits again and again made me realise just how much practice and strength training is required to dance at this high level.

Frankly – the dancers of last night would consider my challenging pose – the Dancer Pose (Natarajasana) – as a Grade 1 warm up.

My limited knowledge of the dance arts, positions, placement etc. didn’t help me to crit the actual technical aspects of the show, BUT, that feeling of being in a darkened theatre watching people perform at the peak of their ability whilst still conveying deep emotion using extremely minimal lighting and absolutely no props at all is an experience that every rugger bugger needs to experience at least once in their lives.

The show was relatively well attended and Africa’s Oldest Theatre is definitely the better for hosting Angels in Africa.

I did feel a bit like a knuckle dragger amongst the angels as many of the audience members could be seen to have benefited from years of dance training – the way that dancers carry themselves is so distinctive. Maybe I should have taken my younger sisters ballet teacher, Dame Maisy, up on her offer to become a dancer?

Dame Maisy:

Maisie Louden-Carter (frequently referred to historically in local dance circles as Dame Maisy Louden-Carter) was a well-known, highly respected, and notably strict classical ballet teacher and Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Examiner based in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha).

Key aspects of her background and legacy in the local dance community include:

Local dancers who trained under her often recall her as a formidable and uncompromising instructor who drilled rigorous technique, precision, and deep discipline into her students.

Alongside other prominent local figures of the era like Dawn De Wit, she served as an official Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) examiner, helping to uphold high international classical standards for students across the region.

Over decades of teaching in Port Elizabeth, she trained numerous local students who went on to professional dancing careers, teaching diplomas, and leadership roles within the broader dance and ballet communities both in South Africa and internationally.

In 1948, Martha Graham created Diversion of Angels, a work exploring three stages of love through movement.

In 2026, as the Martha Graham Dance Company marks its centennial year, the work is being performed on a South African stage for the first time.

WGRUV Dance Company brings Diversion of Angels to Gqeberha and Johannesburg as part of Angels In Africa, alongside Jessica Lang’s Reverence and Prayer by Lex and Holly Gruver.

Three works. Three choreographic voices. And the opportunity to experience a landmark of modern dance history live in South Africa.

Holly Anderson Gruver:

Holly Gruver. Photo: WGRUV Dance Company

Holly Anderson Gruver is the Founder and Artistic Director of WGRUV Dance Company, South Africa’s contemporary ballet dance company.

Originally from Minnetonka, Minnesota, Holly received her early training with Hopkins Dance Center and Ballet Arts Minnesota (studying Balanchine/Cecchetti and Vaganova styles under Bonnie Mathis), trained on scholarship at Interlochen, and later earned her BFA in Dance with honours from Southern Methodist University. She was classically trained as a contemporary dancer through the Martha Graham technique.

Throughout her professional career, she performed globally in original works by notable choreographers and companies, including George Balanchine, Martha Graham, Ann Reinking, Nathan Montoya, and Joe Orlando, as well as at the International Arts Festival in Schladming, Austria.

In 2017, she founded the Johannesburg Arts Conservatory (JAC) to serve as a dedicated training center for advanced, pre-professional dancers.

Alongside co-director Lex Gruver, she established WGRUV Dance Company to foster dynamic, exploratory contemporary ballet creation and bring new artistic works to audiences across Africa.

Performance Venues, Dates & Ticket Prices

Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) – Mandela Bay Theatre Complex

Dates: 5–8 November 2026

Schedule:

Thursday 5 Nov @ 15:00 (Student Dress Rehearsal)

Friday 6 Nov @ 19:00

Saturday 7 Nov & Sunday 8 Nov @ 15:00

Ticket Pricing:

General Adult: R250

Pensioners / Groups (10+): R180

Children (Under 12): R99

Student Dress Rehearsal: R50

Family Packages: R900 (4 tickets), R1,290 (6 tickets), R1,600 (8 tickets)

Johannesburg – UJ Arts & Culture Centre

Dates: 12–15 November 2026

Schedule:

Thursday 12 Nov @ 15:00 (Dress Rehearsal)

Shows run Friday through Sunday

Ticket Pricing:

General Adult: R300

Pensioners: R230

Children (2–12 years): R120

Group Bookings (10+): R200 per ticket

Family Packages: R1,100 (4 tickets), R1,530 (6 tickets), R1,880 (8 tickets)

Roodepoort – Roodepoort Theatre

Dates: 15–20 December 2026

Ticket Pricing:

General Adult: R300

Pensioners: R230

Children (2–12 years): R120

Group Bookings (10+): R200 per ticket

Family Packages: R1,100 (4 tickets), R1,530 (6 tickets), R1,880 (8 tickets)

Video:

A Pool of Delight Surrounded by Excellence

Links:

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The Wilds: A Sanctuary of Stone and Steel

The Wilds was officially opened to the public in 1938, carved out of the rocky “koppies” (hills) of the Witwatersrand. Unlike the manicured lawns of the city’s more traditional parks, The Wilds was designed to showcase South Africa’s botanical heritage. It is a vertical garden of sorts, featuring steep stone paths that wind through forests of yellowwood trees, proteas, and ancient cycads. At its highest point, the reserve offers one of the most spectacular views of the Johannesburg skyline, where the brutalist towers of Hillbrow seem to rise directly out of the prehistoric-looking vegetation.

However, like many of Johannesburg’s public spaces, The Wilds fell into a period of deep neglect during the late 1990s and early 2000s. As crime rates rose and the city’s maintenance budgets shifted, the reserve became overgrown and was perceived as a “no-go zone.” The waterfalls stopped running, the stone paths crumbled, and the once-vibrant greenhouse became a skeletal ruin. For nearly two decades, this incredible piece of real estate sat largely abandoned, used only by a few brave locals and the occasional film crew looking for a “wilderness” setting within city limits.