Joanne Bobrow

Joanne Bobrow has been the Principal of Dancers studio in Bryanston for 29 years. Her school offers RAD ballet training, Alianza Flamenco, AIDT modern and BASI pilates classes. She is a qualified teacher of RAD Ballet and Alianza Flamenca.

Joanne initially studied Dance, specializing in teaching at Pretoria Technikon where she entered her choreographic works in the AA Life Vita Dance Umbrella Awards in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994. She not only achieved an RAD teaching Diploma with distinction but also successfully completed all the Spanish Dance Society and Alianza Flamenca examinations and assessments.

Joanne was employed by Moving Into Dance for 5 years (1991-1996) and worked with the CDTTC and company, training classical ballet as well as music theory and practical.

Joanne served on the NSDT main and sub-committees for 8 consecutive years, and now is appointed onto their Governing Council. She has also been invited to adjudicate numerous ballet and spanish competitions/ festivals around the country.

Joanne has also been invited 8 times to choreograph the prestigious Val Whyte Junior Ballet, as well as serving on the adjudication panel. Joanne has choreographed and rehearsed many childrens parts for the South African Ballet Theatre and Joburg Ballets’ seasons including ‘Nutcracker’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Coppelia’ ‘Giselle’ ‘Snow White’, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Carmen’.

Joanne has studied with a number of flamenco maestros both locally and in Spain, such as Javier la Torre, La Tati, Angelita Gomez, Manolette, Mercedes Leon, Manolo Marin, Domingo Ortega, Inmaculada Ortega, Carmela Greco, Angel Munos, La Truco, Leonore Leal and Manuel Betanzoz.

Joanne subsequently danced in many stage productions, cabarets and promotional functions. She worked closely with choreographers and companies, including Hazel Acosta’s Rincon Flamenco, Lina Dolores Vega, Teresa Morena, Sylvana Gironi and the Ritmo Spanish Dance Company. She also has attended workshops with Linda Vargas, Juana Vargas, Carlos, Carolina Rosa, Rosa Jiminez and Rosana Maya.

Together with Mireille Lenferna, Joanne took over the El Rincon Flamenco Dance Company in 2005 and in 2007 with Lenferna they produced, directed and choreographed ‘Caminando’ – a flamenco journey which received much acclaim. The company was invited to perform in India for 2 weeks during March 2009. In 2010, El Rincon staged a show ‘Flamenco Fusion’ at the Joburg Theatre which was a huge success as well as ‘Lunares’ which was staged in 2012. Their most recent production ‘Esencia Flamenca’ was staged at the Joburg Theatre in May 2019, which included the famous ‘Bernarda Alba’ Ballet as well as live musicians, singers and a narrator.

Joanne continues to teach both ballet and flamenco and performs with El Rincon regularly doing cabaret and corporate functions locally and abroad. In 2003, after serving on the Alianza Flamenco committee for five years, Joanne was appointed chairperson, a position she still holds.