From left: Erin Barnard, Pauline Marais, Shae van Winkel, Wayne Pantry, Stacey Dunnett. Clayton Constant, Hayley Postlethwaite, Yuveshan Pillay, Dane Anderson, Sharlby Van Der Bergh, Mandy Steyn and Clifford Moroney. Photo: Val Adamson

Returning for its 24th season, Shall We Dance – the glittering annual showcase of fabulous ballroom and Latin American – takes to the Playhouse Opera stage in Durban from September 9 to 17.

The showcase features close to 100 KwaZulu-Natal dancers from the region’s top dance studios. They range from dancers as young as eight years old to family groups and international award-winning professionals.

The well-experienced duo of dance veterans, Caryl Cusens and Neville Letard, join forces for their 24th year as joint directors. They co-ordinate featured styles of ever-popular ballroom and Latin; as well as ballet; belly-dance; tap-dance;  Irish and modern which is sure to captivate and keep your gaze glued to the stage.

Returning as MC is East Coast Radio’s Damon Beard.

The professional couples this year are ballroom dancers Nicolai Bouet from Denmark and Anna Shagalina from the Ukraine who both represent Denmark in the genre of sport dancing. This exciting couple have just competed at the Amateur Rising Star Blackpool Dance Festival where they finished 16th in the world.

No strangers to the Shall We Dance family, the Latin couple for this year are Darren Hammond from South Africa dancing with Milla Lykke Nielsen from Denmark. They recently competed in the Blackpool Dance Festival in the Latin competition finishing eleventh.

Joining them is Darren’s brother Ryan who will be performing with newcomer Angelique Allison as this year’s show dance couple. A firm favourite with dancing fans across the country, Ryan will be familiar to Strictly Come Dancing South Africa audiences and of course, is a regular on the Shall We Dance Durban stage.

“This year we have everything from Queen to popular tracks by South African legends Mango Groove and Malaika. The programme includes music from Justin Bieber; Justin Timberlake; Taylor Swift; Swing City; Fulanito; Austin Powers;  Pirates of Caribbean;  Game of Thrones….. Swan Lake and Singing in the Rain! And a dance show wouldn’t be complete without a bit of swing and a samba island type of music,” says Neville Letard.

Shall We Dance is presented by the Playhouse Company in association with the South African Dance Teachers’ Association.

Tickets can be booked at Computicket: http://www.computicket.co.za or 0861 915 8000.