Celestial Bodies is the second programme of the Joburg Ballet’s Spring Season of Dance, being staged for three performances only on Saturday, 18 April and Sunday, 19 April 2026.
The show is a world premiere by Joburg Ballet’s Naledi Award-winning choreographer, Mario Gaglione, in an unprecedented partnership with the visionary Universe on Stage duo, physicist Dr Luca Pontiggia and composer Yasheen Modi. Here’s what you need to know.
Celestial Bodies explores cosmic themes, energy and movement
Joburg Ballet’s Spring Season of Dance is a tribute to the artists and visionaries shaping the future of ballet in South Africa and beyond. The season features three stunning and diverse programmes, with Celestial Bodies as the second programme. The show is a new creation born from Gaglione’s fascination with the Universe on Stage’s production of Hidden Giants.
“I remember walking up to Luca and Yasheen and saying that I longed to see their vision manifest through dance; that their world of music, science and art was already moving like choreography waiting to be embodied,” explains Gaglione. “Almost a year later, this dream has become reality.”
“This is a ballet that carries us into the essence of life itself. We are all part of an ever-expanding universe, reflections of the very stars we gaze upon. Every atom, every particle, whether vast or invisible, belongs to an infinite cosmic dance with the Universe our stage, and we ourselves, celestial bodies orbiting in an endless poem of light.”
More about The Universe on Stage
The Universe On Stage is an independent studio founded by two friends of wildly different backgrounds. Yasheen Modi is a guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist and has been playing the piano since age 8. Dr Luca Pontiggia holds an undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering and, at the age of 27, a PhD in String Theory.
Launching in 2022 at The Bioscope cinema, they have since performed many sell-out shows, becoming the most successful show in the 15 years at The Bioscope. They have ambitions to perform on the largest stages around South Africa and eventually, the world.
The duo hosts live science talks coupled with a musical score played live on stage, backdropped by beautiful cinematic visuals. Performances are crafted to make science not just accessible but relatable, beautiful and entertaining for all audiences. Engaging both the intellect and the emotions, it is, simply put, science in symphony.
Pontiggia and Modi believe the production of Celestial Bodies is truly the first of its kind, where narration, science, space, music, visuals, and dance converge seamlessly to tell the story of our shared connection to the cosmos.
How to book
Cost: From R200pp to R400pp. Book via Quicket
When: Saturday, 18 April and Sunday, 19 April 2026 | Saturday at 2pm and 7pm. Sunday at 2pm
Where: Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre, UJ Arts Centre, University Of Johannesburg, Corner of Kingsway Ave and, University Rd, Auckland Park, Johannesburg
Website: joburgballet.com | theuniverseonstage.com
Email: [email protected] | [email protected]
Tel: 011 877 6898
Facebook: @JoburgBalletCompany | @universeonstage
Instagram: @joburgballet | @theuniverseonstage
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