A Dancer’s Tale: prose edition text
Thea Nicole De Klerk, Samantha Cutler, Roberto Pita

S1: Once upon a time, 
in Joburg’s Orange Grove,
a little girl called Phyllis
was born into the world.

[Once upon a time, a little girl called Phyllis was born in Joburg’s Orange Grove.]

Two people in love,
hugged their sweet little babe.
No-one knew then, 
what a dancer they’d made.

[All babies are special, but her happy parents had no idea she would grow up to be a famous dancer.]

S2: By the time she was four, 
she had learned very quick.
She impressed all her teachers, 
with her ducky feet flicks!

[By the age of four, her teachers were already marvelling at the steps she made with her 	clever duck feet.]

Before school and after, 
she danced everyday.
Nothing pleased Phyllis,
more than ballet.

[Phyllis danced every chance she got – nothing made her happier than ballet.]

S3: When the world was ready 
for Phyllis at fifteen,
She arrived in big, old London, 
ready to live her dream.

[By the time she was fifteen, she left for London, ready to make her dreams of dancing real.]

She said goodbye to all her friends. 
She was ready to start fresh.
Watch out Royal Ballet School! 
Phyllis is here to impress.
[She started at the Royal Ballet School, and impressed everyone with her hard work and grace.]

S4: When Phyllis danced Swan Lake, 
it was fit to show the Queen!
After years of pirouetting, 
she was ready to be seen.

[After years of practicing and pirouetting, she was ready to dance Swan Lake!]

Dancing for the audience, 
she turned and twirled about.
Look! Everyone is smiling!
See how they clap and shout!

[Her performance was a triumph. The audience clapped and cheered with delight.]

S5: From Mexico to Canada. 
From the USA to France.
Phyllis travelled far and wide, 
so the world could see her dance.

[Phyllis travelled all over the world, from Mexico to France. Everyone wanted to see her dance.]

With the Royal Ballet Company, 
and her ballerina friends,
she spread her love for ballet. 
She never wanted it to end. 

[With her dancer friends, she spread her love of ballet everywhere she went.]

S6: Phyllis always knew, 
that dance was in her heart.
But she longed to return home again, 
and make a fresh new start.

[But Phyllis wanted to take her love of ballet back home. And so she headed for Cape Town, going back to her roots.]

So she leaped and bounded,
back to her beautiful land.
Her ballerina roots were regrown. 
She was once more South African.

S7: Dancing wasn’t just for fun, 
as Phyllis always knew.
She’d work at dancing day and night, 
and with hard work she grew.

Always smiling, always trying, 
through good times and through tough,
Phyllis always did her best. 
She couldn’t get enough. 

[She never stopped working, dancing all around the clock.]

[Good wasn’t good enough – she had to be perfect – and always with a smile on her face.]

S8: Romeo and Juliet, 
Swan Lake and Giselle.
Phyllis danced these for the people: 
graceful, tireless, well. 

With partners Gary Burne 
and Eduard Greyling too,
her magnificence inspired the audience. 
To her, flowers they threw. 

[She was famous for dancing Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and Giselle; and she had strong partners – Gary Burne and Eduard Greyling matched her well.]

S9: Reward comes easily, 
when you put yourself to the test.
Phyllis came to realise this, 
once she was called ‘The Best.’

She was awarded ‘Prima Ballerina Assoluta.’
The greatest dancer of them all!
Phyllis would be forever known.
She wanted nothing more.

[She was such a magical dancer, she was awarded the title ‘Prima Ballerina Assoluta’ – a pretty way of saying she was the best of all. She had reached the peak of her career! Or so she thought...]

S10: Goodness! What a catch! 
Phyllis met her loving partner.
His name was Phillip Boyd. 
He was another dancer. 

Together they were married. 
and together they would dance.
No-one could be better matched, 
given half the chance! 

[Then Phyllis fell in love and got married to another dancer, Phillip Boyd. What a pair they made! Partners in life and on stage.]

S11: Though they had no children,
Phyllis and Phillip were never sad. 
They two of them found another way 
to help other Mums and Dads. 

They started Dance For All, 
a special school for dance.
So that children with no money,
could also learn to prance!

[Phyllis and Phillip had a vision, and they started something special – Dance For All. This was a school where any child could learn to dance, even if their parents weren’t rich. This made everyone happy!]

S12: She left a legacy of dance, 
and incredible success.
Her magic was passed on to others
to help them become their best.

Her students spread across the world, 
inspired by her ducky feet.
They dance on while we watch, 
dreaming from our seats.

[Now she is gone, but her legacy remains: her students dance all over the world, remembering their teacher’s ‘duck feet’. She taught them to do their best, and they dance while we watch and smile and think ‘Thank you, Phyllis!’]