Review
There’s a princess in us all
By Benevolence Mazhinji
The Rhodes Theatre stage became a kaleidoscope of dreams this past weekend with the ballet performance There’s a princess in us all. This was an enchanting journey through the heart of fairy tales, blending classical technique and imaginative storytelling. The production followed a young dreamer, whisked away to the magical worlds of Disney heroines, and each encounter taught her something new about bravery, kindness and believing in herself.
The show opened with a magical moment as the dreamer, played by Aurora Rendecki, stepped into the spotlight on a stage soaked in the soft twilight hues of her room. Rendecki brought a delicate yet captivating sincerity to the solo, dancing to the song, Waiting on a Wish, which was an excellent choice for the opening of this story. It captured the dreamer’s longing to become more like a princess who is adventurous and brave. When the song ended, she gently lay back as though drifting into sleep, and this led us to the second act, Ariel’s Dreams. It brought the stage alive with colour and movement as Ariel and her treasure company danced with bright smiles and infectious joy. Then, in a touching return, the dreamer joined Princess Ariel to dance together in the spotlight.
Another equally captivating scene carried the audience into the vibrant world of the South Pacific with Moana’s ocean adventures. The stage glowed in shades of turquoise and deep green as the dancers moved in exuberant, wave-like embodiment of the sea’s restless pulse. This piece was a joyful celebration of courage and the thrill of discovery and concluded with the dreamer being swept into the glistening, sun-drenched spirit of Moana’s world.
My favourite act was Aurora’s love, which was set to Emile Pandolfi’s crystalline piano arrangement of Once Upon a Dream. Dancer Usisipho Ndziba appeared on stage in an iconic pink petal tutu that seemed to float around her with every move. Her performance was one of control and poise, each step light and deliberate, and each extended pose held with breathtaking stillness. Ndziba’s performance felt like the dancing ballerina music box had come to life, perfectly matching the haunting simplicity of the piano melody.
This production was brought together by Blossoming Rose Dance Studio, which offers ballet dance classes to children in Makhanda. It is run by Catherine Frost, who takes children from various schools, including The Diocesan School for Girls, Victoria Primary School, Oatlands Preparatory School, Rhodes Pre-School, Kingswood Pre-Primary, Good Shepherd and Ntaba Maria. She said the show had been in production since September. “The process is always filled with a lot of excitement, especially for those whose first time it is on stage,” she said.
Frost said the show was for young girls who grew up watching princess movies and wanted to dress like one, and that There’s a princess in us all aimed to say that they are all a princess in some way. “They may not walk around with a physical crown or have a magical power,” said Frost, “but each one of them is beautiful, strong and kind.”
