12 March 2008

It is with deep sadness and regret that the Ministry of Arts & Culture learnt of the passing of legendary Prima Ballerina, Ms Phyllis Spira at Kingsbury Hospital, Claremont, on 11th March 2008.

South Africa was blessed with this highly gifted creative artist whose life transcended man-made barriers to become the epitome of what the arts, especially dance, can achieve.

Ms Spira was accepted at the Royal Ballet School, London in 1959 and later joined its touring company.

This gave her the opportunity to travel extensively in Europe, Middle East and the Far East, establishing herself as one of the outstanding dancers. She also danced with the Canadian National Ballet company.

She returned to South Africa, the country she loved, in 1964 to join the PACT Ballet Company, where she remained for 28 years.

At the height of her career, Ms Spira was awarded the Prima Ballerina Assoluta in 1984, the highest accolade in dance, in recognition of her presence and power as a mover and shaker who was destined to reshape and influence cultural trends, especially in dance.

In 1991 she received the highest civilian award for excellence, the Order of Meritorious Service Gold, acknowledging her contribution to dance.

She was a formidable creative force in the dance sector who was widely recognized and won many accolades, including the Nederburg Award for Ballet; the Lillian Solomon Award and the Bellarte Woman of the Year Award for the Cape in 1979.

After her retirement in 1988, Ms Spira remained committed to dance, teaching for the next ten years, and channelling her energies not only to nurture new talent but also to create styles with a distinctly South African rhythm.

Ms  Phyllis Spira was the founder of “Dance for All”, a pioneering creative arts project that introduced dance as a career option and creative activity to countless youth in the Western Cape townships of Athlone, Bonteheuwel, Khayelitsha, Langa and Gugulethu.

The life of Ms Spira is an inspiration for our times, especially post-1990 South Africa, where our country needs committed agents of the change.

As head of the Training Programme of the David Poole Trust, Ms Spira was responsible for the Dance for All Education Developmental Programme.  As trustee, she was responsible for the fundraising that made it possible for the programme to be extended to the disadvantaged communities of the Western Cape.

The plethora of young stars who have emerged from that programme and taken to the stage with confidence, are the greatest single tribute to her life work.

She helped lay a solid foundation for the future of dance and has produced rising stars who will fly the flag of a liberated South Africa. Her passing is a tragic loss to the dance community and the cultural life of the country.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family, her friends, and to the dance community of which she was a distinguished member. We remain hopeful that “Dance for All”, to which she gave her boundless energy, will continue the sterling work she began.

-Ends.-

For further details, call Sandile Memela, Spokesperson for the Minister of Arts & Culture at 082 800 3750 or Premi Appalraju, Media Liaison Officer at 082 903 6778

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