IT IS amazing how artists and creative people mix their brands and art.
Three Ships Whisky recently announced their partnership with multi-award winning ballerina, model and radio personality Kitty Phetla, for their campaign: “Made Exceptional. Made Here.”
This proudly South African brand is known for producing a range of blended and single malt whiskies.
They describe whisky-making as an art which lends itself to the symbols of ballet. To join the two ideas, they invited Kitty to the distillery to tell her inspiring life story in the language of beautiful dance.
While Kitty’s life story is the first, the collaboration will continue and feature a number of other inspirational South Africans on the brand’s media platforms.
Meryll Roos, marketing manager of Three Ships Whisky, said the series will bring out the essence of the brand’s global success.
“Three Ships comes from a country that others said was a place that would never be able to make good whisky.
“Our aim is to celebrate the South African dreamers, true believers and doers who make the country an exceptional place to live.
“It’s about being proud about doing things in our own and unique way, standing out with our courage and world class ambition.”
Kitty who grew up in Alexandra, Joburg, said: “Dancing is such a beautiful conversation you have. As you dance, you expose your inner self.
“And at the heart of the dance is the perfection of the theatrical magic I seek.
“I judge myself daily in pursuit of that perfection. There is no space for error – a mistake changes the entire composition of the performance.
“Practice is a very humbling experience.”
Kitty has been part of world-class productions such as Giselle, Voila! and Sollopa while she was still as student at The National School of the Arts.
Over the years, she taken part in many productions and has toured throughout South Africa as a principal dancer with Ballet Theatre Afrikan. She performed in all its seasons and productions including Debut, Cinderella, En Route, Voila!, The Adventures of Alice and The Stars of Tomorrow.
In 2012 she became the first black dancer ever to perform the famous ballet The Dying Swan in Russia.
