Kitty Phetla
Kitty Phetla is a South African ballet dancer and choreographer who began dancing in primary school. Her future mentor Martin Schönberg saw her talent at age 9 and coached her until she was 25, training her in ballet, Spanish dancing, contemporary dance, and Afro-fusion. She joined Schönberg’s Ballet Theatre Afrikan, dancing with the company until 2002 when she left to join the Joburg Ballet, where she became a senior soloist and choreographer. She toured Russia in 2012 with Anna Pavlova’s famous solo The Dying Swan, becoming the first ballerina of African descent to perform the role in Russia. Traditionally performed in a pink tutu and tights, Phetla made the piece her own performing in a black tutu and stockings. She presented her iconic performance of this solo to Nelson Mandela and the Dutch Royal Family in Amsterdam. Phetla choreographed a full-length ballet to the music of Carmina Burana, which she presented in 2016 in China, with dancers from Joburg Ballet and the Liaoning Ballet of China, for an audience of dignitaries tht included China’s president. She also choreographed The After Effect, exploring schizophrenia, for South Africa’s Dance Umbrella festival.
She has also been a radio presenter, for five years on Alex FM, followed by six years of hosting her own show on Radio 2000.