Event information
The South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC), billed as the largest ballet competition on the African continent, returns to the Artscape Opera House for its 13th edition. Founded in 2008 by Dirk Badenhorst, a founding member and former CEO of the South African Ballet Theatre, the SAIBC has been held annually since 2021, when the event transitioned to a digital format during the pandemic and has since continued as an annual in-person competition.
This edition features competitors from South Africa and internationally across three age categories: Scholar (9 to 12), Junior (13 to 16), and Senior (17 to 22). Disciplines include classical ballet and contemporary solos, duets, trios, group performances, and a choreographic division. The 2026 jury includes judges from South Korea, the United States, Romania/Germany, Belarus, the United Kingdom, Austria/Australia, and Russia.
Over five sessions across three days, audiences can follow competitors through category rounds and observe how classical and contemporary work is assessed at an international level. Each session runs approximately 120 minutes with short breaks between categories. Children 5 and older are welcome.