City Ballet reveals 2026 line-up

Cape Town City Ballet, which has served local communities for generations, gathered with supporters to celebrate its achievements for 2025 and to share plans for an exciting 2026 season.

 About 30 people, including sponsors, dancers, and long-time supporters, attended the launch at the Norval Foundation in Tokai on Tuesday, November 18.

Chairman Africa Melane thanked guests for their continued commitment, acknowledging the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Provincial Government, the Christian Ludolf Marie Trust, and other partners. 

He said their support was more than financial, noting that funders take the time to know the dancers personally and offer emotional encouragement as well as resources. Their involvement, he said, was helping to change lives “one step at a time”.

A video screened during the event expressed further gratitude to supporters and highlighted themes of imagination, resilience, and unity for the 2026 season.

Audiences can look forward to a full year of productions, beginning with Swingtime at Maynardville on Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24, followed by Dracula, from Friday, March 13 to Saturday, March 29.

The annual Lunch Hour Concert will take place at  Artscape on Tuesday, March 3.

The Budding Ballerina workshops will take place on Saturday, May 2, and Saturday, May 9, at the Cape Town City Ballet Studio in Rondebosch.

Orpheus in the Underworld and Centre Stage will take place from Friday, June 12 to  Sunday, June 21 and The Nutcracker will return in December for a festive run at Artscape, from Friday, December 11, to Wednesday, December 30.

Although the focus is shifting to 2026, there is still one more major production planned for this year. 

A new staging of Alice in Wonderland will be presented at  Artscape Theatre Centre from Friday, December 12 to Sunday, December 28, offering families a final chance to enjoy ballet before the year ends.

The popular Budding Ballerina workshops will continue to invite children from across Cape Town, with a special emphasis on encouraging participation from under-resourced communities.

Operations manager Tasneem Allie extended appreciation to Artscape, describing it as a home for Cape Town City Ballet and a venue that consistently supports the company by sharing its stages.

 Looking ahead, Ms Allie said the organisation was excited to celebrate its 55th anniversary next year and hoped to continue strengthening its commitment to the community “in artistry and in purpose”.