The first-ever GITIS School in South Africa has concluded, marking an important milestone in the international training programs. Held in Johannesburg and Pretoria, the programme introduced South African theatre professionals to the fundamentals of the Russian acting tradition through a series of intensive workshops, rehearsals, and public presentations.
The project was GITIS faculty members, teachers Irina Galibina and Pyotr Novikov, and Arina Smirnova who led master-classes on acting and stage movement. Throughout the program, they were joined by Slu Akimgereyeva, GITIS Ambassador to Africa and a graduate of the GITIS Choreography faculty.
The first stage of the program took place at Joburg City Theatres in Johannesburg, where participants worked on scenes from Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya”. The program culminated in the showcase “A Sketch: Our Touch on Uncle Vanya”, presenting the results of four days of intensive work using the etude method, Meyerhold’s biomechanics, and exercises in organic silence.
The second part was hosted by the South African State Theatre in Pretoria. There the GITIS team was free to build the training as they would for their own students in Moscow, offering participants an authentic insight into the GITIS educational approach. Workshops focused on acting, rhythm, stage movement, physical coordination, acrobatics, and the fundamentals of Meyerhold’s biomechanics.
The program concluded with an open class in which exercises evolved throughout the session, allowing audiences to observe the creative process and the methods used in actor training.
The GITIS delegation also met with theatre leaders and representatives of the South African performing arts community, laying the foundation for future cooperation.
We express sincere gratitude to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in South Africa for its invaluable support in organising the programme.
The first GITIS School in South Africa became more than a series of masterclasses. It marked the beginning of a new dialogue between Russian and South African theatre communities and opened promising opportunities for long-term artistic and educational collaboration.
The project was realised as part of the Priority 2030 Strategic Academic Leadership Program.
