A Biblical story of courage, purpose and standing up for others will take on a modern form when the Christian Dance Academy presents Esther: Game of Queens at the Guild Theatre next month.
Choreographed by well-known local creative Kati Ansell, the six-performance production, running from October 7 to 10, reimagines the story of Esther through ballet, contemporary dance, digital projections and spoken-word narration.
For Ansell, revisiting Esther’s story is particularly important because of the challenges facing young women and girls today.
“It has to be told again because of the issues we have, human trafficking, girls being taken away at a time when they are just at home enjoying being young women and girls,” Ansell said.
At the heart of the production is Esther, a young woman who finds herself in circumstances beyond her control but ultimately uses her position to save her people.
Ansell hopes audiences will reflect on their own sense of purpose through Esther’s example.
“We are all born for a certain time. We are called to stand up for certain causes and certain values,” she said.
The idea for Esther: Game of Queens was born during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the original version was created as a hybrid production combining in-person performance and filming.
The new production takes a contemporary approach to the Biblical narrative, with Ansell modelling elements of it on the format of a reality television programme, drawing comparisons to shows such as The Bachelor.
Women are brought together in a royal setting, with their different reactions and choices unfolding as their destinies become connected to the decision of a king.
Ansell originally wrote the script, with much of the storytelling delivered through narration in the style of a news podcast.
“The story is a bit complicated when you read it in the Bible,” she said.
Large-screen projections therefore play an important role in helping audiences understand the storyline through words, while the dancers communicate the emotion and action through movement.
The production also represents a full-circle moment for many of the academy’s dancers. The original Covid-era production featured dancers who were juniors at the time, while many have since grown into senior dancers.
Ansell said they had developed their technical skills, confidence and artistic experience, making the new production an opportunity to showcase how far they had come. She also believes the pandemic taught people the value of authenticity, when people shared their lives from their homes rather than presenting polished versions of themselves.
She hopes that same authenticity will come through on stage.
“From the little ones to big ones, everyone will be there in person, dancing their heart out on stage, telling the story and having the moment to do it while they do what they love, which is dancing,” she said.
The production features about 150 dancers, ranging from four-year-olds to adults.
Ansell said getting the technical aspects right had been one of the biggest challenges, particularly while ensuring the production delivered the quality expected by KuGompo City audiences.
The dancers, however, are well prepared and excited to bring the production to the stage, with strong support from their parents.
The academy is also using the opening-night gala as an opportunity to support Fig Tree School, with proceeds from the October 7 performance going towards the school’s development initiatives.
Ansell said the academy sought to partner with organisations supporting children and believed in the work being done by Fig Tree School, which does not receive government-school funding.
The gala starts at 6.30pm, with tickets priced at R200 and refreshments included. Other evening performances cost R175, while the Friday matinee at 3pm is R150. The Saturday matinee is R175.
Tickets are available through Quicket, with audiences encouraged to book early due to the limited six-performance run.
For Ansell, however, Esther: Game of Queens is about more than putting on a spectacular show. It is an invitation to audiences, particularly young women, to consider their own circumstances and ask what they are being called to do in their season.
