Mel's Mouthful Reviews Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel

I have to admit that when The Wimpy Kid books first arrived in the bookstores, I told my children that there was no way they were going to read them. It just looked "dodgy".

"Dodgy" is a word we use often in our house:

* when the children see someone suspicious across the road they tell me "there is someone dodgy on the other side of the road Mom, lock the door" - which pretty much covers almost anyone who walks past our house after we recently did a Stranger Danger study unit.

* sometimes the children refer to their food as being "dodgy" - though this is normally when Dad makes food unsupervised. In fact I remember one weekend where I went to attend a workshop and Chad crying and saying "What are we going to eat? We're going to starve."

* things are "dodgy" when it's unidentifiable, uncertain, a little suspicious looking, dirty, strange or just plain odd.

So The Diary of a Wimpy Kid was a dodgy book because I didn't want my kids using the word wimp or even consider someone a wimp because of who they are or what they do. Little did I know that this is not at all what these books are like. In fact this book is often hysterically and uncomfortably close to the truth about family life. An embarrassing mom and dad, a weird younger brother who does all the wrong things at the wrong time, an overbearing bossy brother and the challenges of peer pressure and school.

I must admit that I first watched The Diary of a Wimpy Kid on the big screen and I loved it - and so did my 71 year old mother (though I probably shouldn't put her age in here, she says it's not polite to mention a ladies age. I wish my boys knew that, as they still haven't stopped telling everyone they meet how old I am.  They also enjoy telling people very proudly that their dad is 2 years younger than their mother.) And so when Penguin Books South Africa gave me a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel, I was thrilled. Of course I had to wait for all three boys to finish reading the book first, before they would even let me get my hands on it.

This time Greg is at middle school and he's on the hunt for a dance partner for the dreaded Valentine's Day dance with hysterical consequences. Eventually he decides to partner with his best friend Rowley Jefferson to secure a date for himself. We all know the feeling of trying to find the right date for such an important event. Taking a date equivocates with value. It seems all else fades in the pursuit a a partner - initially its all about the perfect girl till eventually it is reduced to anyone who is willing. This is the 7th in the series and with his usual skill at humour Jeff Kinney had me snickering and giggling.

It was highly entertaining and because the book has so many illustrations it really was a quick read - I don't think I took longer than an hour.

This book really is suitable for beginner readers and up (or should I just say 40 and get it out there). It's also a great tool to encourage journalling. My children enjoy journalling and every time they finish one of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid  books- they grab hold of their journal and start to avidly write and draw. Also the fact that there are so many illustrations, definitely appeals to my youngest "because it has pictures and the writing is not too small"

And I know that some of you are grumbling as you read this saying: "but my child doesn't like to read, I can't even get him to take books out of the library - well never fear - Mel is near (sounds like a superhero tag line that could work - if I only had a cape!) - if he doesn't like to read why not try the audio version - after listening to this on audio first, books will follow.

If you have any Wimpy Kid fans you can even watch Jeff Kinney(the author)present a cartoon class on drawing Greg. And in fact if you browse a bit there is loads of You Tube videos to watch and share with your Wimpy Kid enthusiasts. And for even more enjoyment, if you haven't had enough already, there is even an official Wimpy Kid website: http://www.wimpykid.com/

We would like to thank Penguin Books South Africa for giving us this book to review.  We did not get paid for this review, and all the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely ours.

Book Review: A Child's Geography: Explore His Earth by Ann Voskamp

Perhaps, if you're like me, you spend hours reading about curricula and books that others are using or recommending along their homeschool journey, wondering what would be the best possible fit for your child's education. A Child's Geography, by Ann Voskamp, is one of those books I've seen on countless blogs and recommended reading lists. Ever since I stumbled upon her personal blog (www.aholyexperience.com) a few years ago, and read her book “A Thousand Gifts”, I have been dying to order this Geography Book, so imagine how delighted I was when Mel asked me to review it for her!

The Voskamps are Canadian farmers who homeschools their 6 children. Ann Voskamp has a clear passion for teaching, and a heart after God and His world, and His people in it. Her book, A Child's Geogrpahy: Explore His Earth, invites a child to do just that – to join her on a journey in “getting to know what is under our feet, over our heads and in the world around us — the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere — and then how to get around this world — maps, latitude and longitude. All the while, seeing Him everywhere” as she explains in the introduction.

Voskamp has created a book that is easy to use even if you yourself hated geography! She gives advice as to how to use the book, how to schedule readings, ask your children for narrations – I love that she knows exactly what it is like to have young children, and how much time they are likely to be engaged for! She has 'been there, done that' as a homeschooling mother!

Each chapter is broken up into
• one or two main adventures, which are meant to be read aloud to your children (and she encourages just one main adventure at a time, and usually one a week).
• A notebooking segment (creatively using postcards to 'write home' about what has been learnt. These are provided in the e-book).
• Narration prompts – with wonderful “memory joggers” for children who struggle to remember all the finer details.
• “Reaching Out to His World” is the segment where Voskamp draws a connection between the theory of what has been learnt and how it connects to someone or some people group on the earth. Geographers care about the planet they live on, and she takes it a step further reminding the children that everything and everyone on earth is the Lord's.
• “Too-Fun-to-Resist-Excursions” are the hands on activities in each chapter.
• Reading Lists – ooh, this is just write up my alley! Wonderful to have some extra suggested texts to dabble in if your children's interest is piqued.
And finally, the Appendix holds copywork passages organised by chapter, as well as maps provided by Terri Johnson of Knowledge Quest.

So, what do I really like about this text?

I like that it is a living book, written to me and my children, by a mother on another continent with the same passion as me. I like that she tries to engage with children listening to each chapter in so many ways (endless examples and day-to-day relevant references). I like that Voskamp herself lives by example, truly loving God's people all around the world (her work with Compassion International is inspirational). I appreciate what this books covers – all the basics of geography – it's a great foundational text.

What I don't like? Hmm, well, if I had to be critical, I'd have to say that I don't think this is a book well suited to a visual learner: it is quite dense with text (but then again, the lessons are meant to be read aloud), and the diagrams are small and I did not find them particularly clear.

So there you have it! This is a text I would willingly use with my children in their early to middle primary years, and I think they would have a lot of fun using it and being inspired by it. It will give them a firm geographical foundation that we can use as a spring board to more detailed studies.

Karen

A friend and fellow blogger who blogs at Karen's Clan.  

Homeschooling mother of 3, wife to a husband who makes the most amazing animated movies, heads Cape Explorers and is an inspiration to many.  

Review: Songs of Migration

I had another date night with one of my sons, Chad, and we headed off to the Artscape Theatre to watch Songs of Migration which have just returned to South Africa after performing in Washington DC, London and Amsterdam. A show about migration - the songs of migration of those who would move across the African continent in search of a new future.

Two internationally acclaimed South African artists Hugh Masekela and Sibongile Khumalo, masterful storytellers - led us on a journey of joy and excitement, sorrow, victory and freedom.  This production was not only about a journey of migrants but the political journey in South Africa.  Issues of prejudice, expectations and township life were laid bare before us as.  Incredible as this may sound, I was faced with emotions and situations that I, as a white South African have never had to experience and had in fact never thought through or faced.

Though many of the songs were in traditional South African languages, so much of what was being expressed was portrayed in drama, song and music. Beautiful music and wonderful songs sung by performers whose showmanship had us laughing, singing and clapping along.  Hugh Masekela's flamboyant dance antics with a wicked sense of humour and a bit of swagger has the audience in stitches.  Sibongile Khumalo sang on par with any international singer I have ever heard.  I felt privileged to hear her sing and perform alongside Hugh.

There were some special moments in the performance that really made an impact on me: at one point the old South African flag was replaced with the current flag and I felt the elation of the moment and the victory.  It brought back so many memories of that eventful day when I voted and knew that there was a new day dawning.  I also loved the haunting melodies played by internationally acclaimed trumpeter Hugh Masekela.  What a talented man and what an asset he is to our theatres! The five piece band were brilliant.  I heard them use their voices as instruments, saw traditional African instruments and was enthralled by the violinist.

I would have liked to have had a translator sitting next to me as I felt at a distinct disadvantage not knowing what they were singing about and some of the dances were clearly significant in their movements and style. Chad struggled with this production because of not understanding a lot of what was happening due to his age. I know Declan who is 12 would have enjoyed this more.  With the added element of no intermission which surprised me,  it was just far too much to expect from him.  Too much for an 8 year old - especially a boy with so much energy!  I was taken by surprise as at one point Hugh swore very crudely which took me by surprise but thank goodness my son didn't seem to notice it too much.  There were also a few sexual movements and connotations which I didn't think were appropriate for a child to see.

I also stumbled on this short video on You Tube where both Hugh and Sibongile were interviewed on the Expresso Show.

Mel's Must Have #5 Art by Bron Stofberg

I am no art fundi but when I first saw Bron's work, I could feel a connection.  I felt like I was looking into my creative me - seeing colour, shapes, movement, depth. I could just stare at her art and get lost in it.  Bron Stofberg is a South African artist based in Durban and some of her clients have included Madonna (yes Madonna - that's not a mistype).  I will be interviewing her later this week but for now I just want to show you her remarkable talent!

These are just a small portion of her pieces but these are some of my favourites:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aren't those colours wonderful? Dreamy, twirly, stripey, merging magnificence (very artistic comments I know but who cares?)  Apparently she has some secret technique and recipe that allows the colours to flow and bend, speckle and merge.  

Bron Stofberg is by no means unknown - she has been featured in a number of top magazines like:  Garden and Home, Top Billing, Essentials and has even appeared on Top Billing, a local South African show.  

For those of you that are ready to leap online to find more of her wonderful work, her website offers the most remarkable array of work and even prints to order.  

Her latest medium has been buttons and are on sale for Christmas - but clearly she needs to hear from us, that this should definitely be a medium she should keep working with - love love love! 

She has a great Facebook Page with more of her work.  This lady continues to amaze me with the diversity of her art.  And each one of her pieces of art just seem to speak to me, definitely a type of art therapy.  

 

 

If I could summarise her art in three words:

colour

creativity 

soul 

By the way I was not asked to do this and I get no compensation for writing this article - just some of those beautiful things that I love.

Did you get your brandbucket?

 

A knock on the door, a bucket full of goodies delivered to my door. And what a wonderful treat this was.  Full of Revlon products - I love Revlon. Most of my makeup and perfume has always been Revlon.  And I love their deodorant range.  In fact I had used some of the ladies deodorant's before the men's 24/7 was a pleasant surprise.  I could just hold onto my man all day and smell his neck (not his armpit) all day.  It's delicious - it's intoxicating - I see my husband through the haze of sexy smell appeal.  Yes I know, too much info but seriously ladies - I love it when my husband smells so good.

And where did this surprise bucket come from?

 BRAND BUCKET 

Now just to clarify, they did not ask me to write this post, but I thought that some of you, that like to get lovely goodies in the post for free - all in exchange for a brief review which you do online on their website (you don't need a blog), might want to sign up quickly.  They are only accepting a limited number of applications so you don't want to miss out!  (this is limited to South Africa for the moment)

Now that I have done my bit and let all you know about this great freebie, I'm off to find my husband with that 24/7 ;)

Review: The Sewing Machine starring Sandra Prinsloo at the Baxter Theatre

Going to theatre at the Baxter is always an amazing experience.  There is a vibrancy, life and creativity about theatre.  I so enjoy arriving early, sitting and having a glass of wine and watching the colourful theatre lovers arriving to a night out.

Tonight's treat was in the Golden Arrow Theatre.  It's much smaller than the main theatre and I know that when we are in this smaller breakaway theatre that we are in for a treat because what we are presented with something intimate and dramatic.

We were not disappointed.  The Sewing Machine, performed by Sandra Prinsloo had me laughing, frowning,  crying, smiling and even feeling guilty - an array of emotions.  Sandra Prinsloo portrays an old lady in her 80's who is waiting for someone to come and fetch her sewing machine.  And while she waits she talks to us, the audience, about her life - about moments of joy, anger, tragedy and loneliness. She's hauntingly familiar as anyone's grandmother found in the numerous old age homes found in South Africa.  Special individuals who lived in South Africa during the apartheid era, and now living in a "new" South Africa.  She's endured and experienced so much and many of these experiences are familiar to us as moms - the joy of a new baby, the struggles of dealing with conflict with a child, having to confront the fact that her son has chosen an alternative lifestyle, marital conflict with her conservative husband Tielman, losing a child to a crippling disease, aging and the loneliness that comes with it.  I might have small children but I was drawn into examining my own relationship with my mother, grandmother and even my own children.

Her sewing machine - a Bernina, known as Miss Muffet - is carefully and lovingly cleaned and prepared for it's collection, as we are invited into her life.  And it feels so real, I sat there at times wondering whether she was talking to me.  What a masterful actress! At times it felt surreal, with clever use of recorded voices over the sounds system as we listened to excerpts from her memory.  It felt like we were there with her, remembering. The stage seemed so familiar - like any room in an retirement home - with an old dresser, her Bernina, an old radio.  Even the way the way she dresses is so common amongst our South African aged, the thick stockings, the practical plain shoes, even the skirt-jacket suit - all speaks of an age gone by.

The play won the Nagtegaal Playwright’s Competition award when it first opened in March 2009 and its success was immediate, overwhelming and undisputed. Further accolades include two Fleur du Cap awards - one for Best Performance by an Actress (Prinsloo) and one for Best New South African Script. Since its inception four years ago Die Naaimasjien has traveled throughout the country and has been performed more than 250 times.

It was a masterful performance and a show I would highly recommend.!  I would take a couple of tissues though:)

Out and About: Baxter Theatre: 8th Baxter Dance Festival

Well it was date night with Ethan and we headed to the Baxter Theatre for the opening night of the 8th Baxter Dance Festival.  Date nights with my boys are always an event, and theatre ones are always winners and this was no exception. 

It took us about 15 photos to finally get both our heads in, we were laughing so hard because we kept chopping parts of us off.

 The Baxter Theatre is a lovely place to spend an evening.  With their restaurant, bar area where you can purchase a couple of savoury snacks, lots of interesting people milling around, its just the place to be for an evening rich in sensory experiences. 

Umnikelo "Offering"

 

We attending a performance showcasing the Vuyani Dance Theatre Project where they performed two pieces - Umnikelo "Offering" and Mayhem.  Umnikelo was magnificent.  If I were to categorise the type of dancing I would say it was a mixture of a African, modern and ballet.  It was incredibly intense.  The music, the lighting, the costumes, even the fact that all the dancers had shaved heads, created a visual effect that was both moving and effective.  The backup musicians produced haunting rhythmic sounds while one of the dancers joined in with deep throaty vocals.  When they finished this part of the show they received a standing ovation for the incredible performance.  Dramatic dance at its finest.

After a brief intermission, we watched the second half Mayhem.  Ethan enjoyed this half because of the humour, however I found this to be in stark contrast to the excellent first half.  The dancers' dramatisation of those who are institutionalised was well performed but I wasn't sure whether I should laugh or get upset at the way in which these people were being presented, though very stereotypical.  It surely reflected on their ability to be versatile if not necessarily original.

Special mention needs to be made of Luyanda Sidiya who delivered a phenomenal performance which can only be expected from someone who has won titles like "Best Male Dancer" at the Dance Manyano Awards and the "Most Outstanding Dancer in Contemporary Style for Dance at the Umbrella Festival.
Also Gregory Maqoma, the founder of the Vuyani Dance Theatre Project who himself is an internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, director and scriptwriter.


Showcasing dance companies and choreographers, the 8th Baxter Dance Festival is scheduled to run from the 4 - 13 October 2012.  With such a variety of shows to choose from, you will be spoilt for choice. 

Review: Cafe Budan: Coffee at its best

I tell you no lies, if you could have had a chat with my rather coffee calloused taste buds - you would have known about the day that I discovered this new coffee.

Slow roasted, delicious coffee delight!  I am sure that my taste buds are tingling just remembering.  And with flavours like Hazelnut, Irish Cream (my personal favourite), Mexican Fudge and Chocolate Raspberry - how can you not find this coffee delightful?

Now you all know that I don't recommend things that I don't love!  And many of you know that coffee is my first second love (got to keep up appearances, after all what will Sean say ?).  There have been times where my husband has been so close to a near death experience when he hasn't made my morning coffee before he did ANYTHING else.  What could possibly be more important?  After all, if you can hold it in the whole night, why MUST you go to the toilet first?  I might be verging on being classified as "obsessive" but we all have our thing and coffee is mine.  Tea! - for the birds .... or tree huggers..... or people who eat all those sprouty things and if the tea is green its even worse.  Of course that doesn't include any of my special friends and family reading this because that would just be downright rude and judgemental - but those other people out there, no one you know.

Anyway before I get into any more trouble, let's leave the tea leaves there and focus on the good stuff.

SO this great coffee is locally produced by an expert.  Kevin Baker, has written coffee shop reviews for Sunday Tribune Independent and their annual Cafe Society publication in Durban.  He also has an extensive history with coffee as a barista championship judge and food critic.He does all the roasting himself and uses the traditional slow-roasting method with a rotating drum roaster. More modern methods halve the roasting time, but compromise on the more delicate flavours in the coffee.

For only R50 you can buy a 250g bag of the most awesome coffee, and if you live in South Africa it can be posted to you.

His contact details are:  Cell 081-2706225 or email him and place your order.

Coffee! Enjoy!

Mel's Must Have #4 Yuppiechef

If you haven't heard of Yuppiechef, the you have missed out on the most beautiful kitchenware which you can buy online.  I love their online store and if I could, I would redo my entire kitchen with all their amazing kitchenware.  And if you are lucky enough to buy some of their products and you live in South Africa, well then that delivery is free!

What especially makes this a great online store is that it's owned by local South Africans. They only find the best products.  Products that make you want to spend more time in the kitchen - whether its to grind some coffee beans or make some toast - everything is fashion, colour and designer perfect.

Here are just some of the things I would definitely want in my kitchen!  Kitchen art deluxe.

Morphy Richards Accents Colour Boutique Metallic Pyramid Kettle, 1.5 litres

Morphy Richards Accents Colour Boutique Metallic 4-Slice Toaster

KitchenAid Artisan Espresso Machine

 

 KitchenAid Artisan Burr Coffee Bean Grinder

KitchenAid Artisan Food Processor

KitchenAid Waffle Maker

Bialetti Glamour Dama Moka Pot, 3 Cup

Red, red and more red - I love these!  You get to choose whatever colour you want! And red is what I want.  My kitchen is very white with blacks and greys and I have added reds, oranges and pink.  I know, I know - a little unusual but I simply must have bright colours in my life! 

Just so you get an idea of what I am aiming for, here you go!

Please Note:  I have not been asked to write about Yuppiechef. They don't know me, they don't know my children - they don't even know my name.- I get nothing from doing this - these are some of those things that I would simply love to own.

Homeschooling Products I am reviewing for August

and probably September.  Those of you that read this blog, know that I am always about 5 steps behind my planned activities.  They're all in my head - but it's to get to get my head and my fingers talking to each other which is the problem, and this lazy body out of bed in the morning. Anyway enough about my sleeping patterns!

So here's what I will be reviewing this month:

ABC Mouse

This is aimed at children aged 2 to 6. Online interactive site which has about 450 lessons and 6 levels.  The site is progressive and so there are various levels which need to be completed to move onto the next level. Includes art, songs, puzzles, books, games and printables, maths and the world around us.  If you go to the homepage you will see a variety of sample lessons and if you like me, have a little one and want to give it a try - the first month is free.  Free is good!

Study Ladder

Preschool to Grade 7.  This is a web based program activities, video lessons,reward rooms and certificates which moms and dads can print.  There are more than 10 subjects available to work through.  Most of it can be done online, though you can also print some of the pages.  This is a subscription based program. Also if you are a teacher, apparently access to this site is free.  (though not sure if this is only for Australian schools).  As a homeschooler there is a free option but it is limited to 3 activities

Konos Homeschool Curriculum

KONOS is about... one home schooler talking to another home schooler... sharing curriculum designed by two homeschooling moms for their own children. It’s about sharing 24 years of homeschooling experience. It’s about passing on a vision to build families that honor God. It’s about instilling Godly character in the next generation. It’s about building relationships between family members. It’s about achieving excellence in education. It’s about reading wide and deep. It’s about recognizing "God put the wiggle in children, and we should not try to take it out." It’s about hands-on activities capturing children's attention and increasing their retention. It’s about teaching a child, not a curriculum. It’s about fun and laughter and shaping memories. It’s about creating a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. (source Konos)

I have received my first file and 3 DVD's (Introducing Konos/Oikos, Konos Living and Understanding Oikos) to watch and look forward to seeing how my children respond to this Character based curriculum.  We are going to start with Obedience - ha ha yes I know if you know my children - my wonderful children - they are having to learn a little about obedience.  Our local South African Konos representatives not only sell Konos but a number of other resources which I am familiar with like Maths-U-See, LLATL (Learning Language Arts Through Literature) and lots of other parent resources.  

These should keep me fairly busy this month and I know my children are going to love the variety in our homeschooling day.

Out and About: The Baxter Theatre: Worst of Both Worlds

I could quickly see why this play, Worst of Both Worlds, written and directed by Bulelani Mabutyana and starring Lubabalo Nontwana and Thando Suselo were the winners of the Zabalaza Theatre Festival for 2012.  Though both young actors (21 and 19) - they delivered a remarkable performance in this story of a girl who is abducted and trafficked at a young age, growing up under slavery, abuse and prostitution.  

I was led down the road of innocence in a town - Khayelitsha, where a young Xhosa girl's life is dramatically changed from a life of song and laughter, to abduction, abuse and prostitution.  I sat riveted in my seat as I felt my emotions rise and fall:  laughter, horror, pain, empathy, even anger.  I took offense at the violence and language of the child traffickers.  And yet hoped with her as she attempted to escape from those who would enslave her.  I wept with her when she found her family and then the subsequent sadness and sense of loss.

Though I have seen various productions at different theatres, none has touched me to my core as this one did.  Child trafficking is never a comfortable subject, and this production did nothing to hide its destruction.  And even with the humour which at times almost seemed uncomfortable, out of place - there was a grim reminder of the reality of the situation in our country and many others.  

Both Lubabalo and Thando, transformed into a multitude of characters, through changes in lighting, voice and mannerisms in a blink of an eye while never physically changing their appearance (they wore very simple clothing that you eventually didn't even notice, their performance was so gripping).  A simple set of a single table and chair was transformed before me with clever and effective lighting and some unusual changes in position.  I love well designed beautiful sets - pretty things and yet, what they achieved was beyond paint and canvas.  


After the performance we were privileged to be invited to the the Baxter Restaurant and while we were there I had the opportunity to chat to the writer and director of Worst of Both Worlds, Bulelani Mabutyana.  I asked him why he had chosen this specific topic and what I discovered is that he had personally lost his cousin in a similar way and some of his close friends too.  And then it really made me realise why there was so much depth and meaning to so much of what I had seen.    I find his own story, made this production even more meaningful to me!  How someone could take so much of what he had been through and present it to us, the audience. What a remarkable man, writer and director!

Worst of Both Worlds will be performed at the Baxter Theatre in the Golden Arrow Studio for the next two weeks from the 24th July to 4th of August at 7pm.   And if you book on a Friday night you can buy your ticket and have a meal at the Baxter Restaurant for only R100 per person.


This is not suitable for children under 13 and with good reason.  The language of the child traffickers and though a fair amount of symbolism is used, the reality is that the issues that are being presented are not sugar coated or to be made to look pretty but rather a stark reality.

Out and About: The Baxter Theatre: Imperial Russian Ballet

Though I normally write the Reviews for my own blog, I decided to give my husband the platform to give his impressions of the Imperial Russian Ballet.  After all, a man's opinion on this ballet might give a different perspective.

The Russian Ballet Delights

A close to full house packed the main hall at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town last night as my wife and I attended  the premier of the the Imperial Russian Ballet in Cape Town after completing performances in Bloemfontein, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth.  We were privileged to meet the man behind the company, Edouard Miasnikov - a wonderfully entertaining and warm individual who professed to be a real lover of Durban. Apparently this is his favourite spot in South Africa, mostly due to the warm waters he enjoys frequenting while on tour in South Africa.  His love for this country is one of the many reasons he continues to return our shores with groups like The Bolshoi Ballet, The Ice Revue from Moscow - Kaleidoscope, The Moscow State Classical Ballet and so many more.

 

From the onset Act I, Carmina Burana was unlike anything I've seen before.  There were hints of raw passion, humour and emotion.  Dancers in a mystical folklorish setting, dancing across the stage in dazzling costumes (by Andrey Zlobin) left my wife and I speechless.  The Russian Ballet is unlike any other style of ballet (according to Edouard Miasnikov) - and I had to agree having watched my sister perform for 20 years in South African ballets in schools and shows. This powerful piece was like watching ballet for the first time; leaving one feeling astounded, amazed and impressed, all at the same time.

We were seated amongst other members of the press and media and judging by their ooh's and aah's and bravos after various scenes, we were not the only ones who were impressed. The ballet dancers are notably professional,  with years of grooming evident in their poise and capabilities.  Under the superb directorship of Gediminas Taranda, the first act proved to be a surprising and intriguing start to the Russian Imperial Ballet. 

After what seemed like just a moment, the first act was over and  it was time to grab a drink and some snacks from the well catered services at the Baxter Theatre and mingle with a real assortment of moms, dads, some children and the young crowd out to enjoy an evening out on town.  Ballet seems to be popular among such a varied group of people and is something I think everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.  Watching the ballet conjures up emotions and feelings unlike any other that one would experience, watching a rugby game or some other form of entertainment that South Africans may be more accustomed to.

 

The second act , Walpurgis Night followed by various pieces from the original classic performances such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote and Sleeping Beauty was a spectacular delight.

For me, the highlight of the ballet were two individual pieces.

The first being Anna Pashkova, who performed barefooted to the haunting music of Don’t Leave Me by Zhak Brell .  Anna commanded the stage with her ability and interpretation of the music leaving the audience spellbound.

The other individual piece, was that of  the dying swan of "Swan Lake" performed by Oxana Sharova. I forgot for a moment that I was part of the audience.  The combination of music, on stage mist and an exquisite performance - make this scene come alive for me.

Though I have focused on 2 individual pieces, it would be unfair not to mention that all the principle dancers:  Anna Pashkova, Elena Colesnicenco, Ekaterina Tikanova, Duminica-Radamaria Nazarenco, Nariman Bekzhanov, Igor Subbotin, Aleksandr Volkov and Arcadie Nazrenco delivered outstanding performances. Each of these talented dancers delivered performances that were worthy of a world class ballet company - one of the world's best.

For other men out there, you may be uncomfortable about seeing other men "jumping around" in tights but after one gets past the initial surprise and discomfort, you start to appreciate the choreography and the set.    The overall beauty of the performance and and the superb way in which it all comes together in one explosive expression of creativity, will have you waiting in anticipation for the rest of the performance to unfold.

I spent a wonderful evening with my wife, at a highly recommended and enjoyable ballet performance!  Make every effort to book a seat, your wife will love you for it and you will discover that ballet is meant to be enjoyed by all, not just by our wives!

Special thanks to the Baxter and Linette de Kock for inviting us to review this performance; to Edouard Miasnikov for entertaining us with his ballet company escapades and to each of the dancers, who gave us yet again a memory moment!

Sean Grant