Angels In Africa 2026: ballet in Gqeberha and Johannesburg

About the production

WGRUV’s Season 3 finale, Angels In Africa draws together three works of historical depth and spiritual imagination, offered as a family-friendly celebration for the festive season.

The evening opens with Reverence, set to Robert Schumann’s Symphonic Studies, Op. 13. Choreographer Jessica Lang describes the work as “my definition of ballet” – a piece built to be experienced rather than explained.

The production continues with Prayer, an imaginative work by Lex and Holly Gruver, inviting audiences to look beyond the obvious, communicating depth and soul through movement known to WGRUV’s contemporary style – a piece built to lift the mind toward what is unseen and eternal.

The programme closes with the South African premiere of Diversion of Angels, the landmark 1948 ballet by American modern dance pioneer Martha Graham. Staged in the Martha Graham Dance Company’s centennial year, the work traces the stages of love – adolescent, romantic and mature . WGRUV is honoured to be the first company to bring this masterwork to South African stages.

Three works, three visions of what it means to love, to reach beyond ourselves, and to be still enough to see it. We’re grateful to carry Diversion of Angels into the Graham Company’s hundredth year, and to share it here, for the first time, with the audiences of South Africa.

Holly Gruver, Artistic Director

Running time: about 1 hour 30 minutes. The show is family friendly. Prices are per ticket on Webtickets.