Debbie Turner

Debbie Turner is a highly respected figure in the South African dance industry, having been an active part of it for almost 40 years. She is passionate about ballet and dance and their role in the cultural life of a city, province, and country. Debbie is now the driving force behind the creation of Cape Ballet Africa, a new ballet company based in Cape Town, established in March 2024, where she serves as Artistic Director and fulfils several other associated roles. Prior to this, she was the Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director of Cape Town City Ballet for nearly five years, from September 2018 to March 2023, during which she staged works by both South African and international choreographers including Maina Gielgud, Veronica Paeper, Mthuthuzeli November, Kirsten Isenberg, Marlin Zoutman, Michelle Reid, Lindy Raizenberg, Jiri Kylian, George Balanchine, Sir Frederick Ashton, Kenneth Tindall, Gregory Maqoma, and many others. Earlier in her career, Debbie founded the Cape Dance Company in 1995, which performed nationally and internationally for 24 years, including in the United Kingdom, New York, and South Korea. The company’s associated vocational dance school, the Cape Academy of Performing Arts, operated from 1985 until 2021 in a purpose-built facility designed specifically for dance. Over 17 years, more than 100 students graduated from its vocational training programme, many of whom have gone on to successful careers across the performing arts and related disciplines both nationally and internationally.

Debbie remains an active member of local and international dance communities and is frequently invited to share her expertise as a guest speaker. She travels widely to stay informed about global dance trends and to engage with international dance leaders, ensuring her continued inspiration and alignment with developments in ballet and contemporary dance worldwide. Born in South Africa, Debbie began her dance training in Durban at the age of three, studying classical ballet under Joy Shearer. She later worked with renowned teachers and choreographers across multiple dance forms, focusing primarily on ballet and Spanish dance. Her studies also included Latin American dance, in which she became the Western Province Champion in a short time. Debbie enjoyed a professional performance career in Spanish dance for many years under Dame Mavis Becker with the company Danza Lorca, performing extensively both locally and abroad. This diverse experience shaped her management style, artistic direction, teaching methodology, and choreographic voice. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Dance from the University of Cape Town and served as a judge on the inaugural 2018 season of M-Net’s Dancing With The Stars SA, produced by Rapid Blue (Pty) Ltd.

Debbie has received numerous awards for her choreography, including the FNB Vita Award in 1995 and the Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival in 2014 for the Cape Dance Company’s production Blue. The company also featured on the National Arts Festival Main Programme in 2016 and 2018. Artists trained under her direction, such as Londiwe Khoza, Mthuthuzeli November, and Alice Godfrey, have gone on to achieve significant international acclaim, including roles with globally renowned dance companies and productions. Committed to aligning South African dance with 21st-century global performance trends, Debbie champions diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability. Her approach integrates artistic excellence, contemporary relevance, dance education, and professional development while preserving the traditions of classical ballet and academic dance.