> See our pics of the rehearsals

This is the third time that the curtain has risen on one of Bovim's modern ballets, one conceived and created by the Cape Town City Ballet Company and not, like classics such as 'Orpheus' and 'Cinderella', according to a prescribed, though always popular, choreography.

It's a brave exercise, so the emphasis, as Triegaardt so ably put it, is on being "entertaining". Rock ballets such as this one are to be enjoyed and not over-analysed ? they are accessible and, because of their crossovers with modern dance and their Hollywood-esque themes, often appeal to audiences that would not normally frequent the ballet.

Bovim, in essence, is broadening the reach of the Cape Town City Ballet Company, while at the same time indulging his own desire to experiment with dance and its themes. If ballet were a religion, Bovim would be an evangelist.

It's a role that has no doubt ruffled the feathers of more than one member of this esteemed institution's old guard.

But on with the show? 'Let Me Entertain You' is a tribute to Robbie Williams ? so if you're a fan (like Bovim), you'll love it. All the hits are there, and Bovim has captured the essence that is the public Robbie Williams extremely well.

He's done this by creating four Robbie personas ? Robbie Rebel, Robbie Cool, Robbie Star and Robbie Icon ? that reflect the singer's rise to fame. This rise to stardom forms a simple plot in a ballet that is more about the dancing and the music than about a complicated storyline.

But that doesn't mean the production is lacking in romance ? this comes in the form of the two Love Birds (danced brilliantly on opening night by Coert Grobbelaar and Lara Turk), who provide interludes of intense classical beauty between the more modern sets.

Romance also comes in the form of the various "Robbies" and their women, though there is also a strong theme of disconnection running through these performances ? supposedly reflecting the star's inability to settle into a monogamous relationship. But that doesn't mean he doesn't want to ? and the yearning for a soulmate is another strong love theme.

But love aside, 'Let Me Entertain You' is more than anything about having a good time ? just as Robbie would no doubt have it. It has got a modern, MTV kind of feel to it (some of the formations would not be out of place in a Janet Jackson music video), with the classical ballet sequences taking on an exaggerated beauty when juxtaposed with the more modern movements.

Brilliant performances were those by Grobbelaar and Turk, Andre Sauer as well as Devan Josephs (who shows great promise). Laura Bosenberg, Marianne Bauer and Tracy Li pulled the production together, as did a modern and at times quite breath-taking set.

Another highlight of the show was the costumes, designed by acclaimed fashion designers Craig Port, Malcolm Kluk and Christiaan Gabriel du Toit. Through their beautiful materials and funky design (we loved the men's suits!), they added a glamorous edge to a slick and straightforward production.

This is dance at its most entertaining ? lively, always surprising and danced with such enjoyment on the part of the ballerinas, that it's impossible not to sway in time in your seat, if not get up and start dancing all by yourself.

'Let Me Entertain You' runs until January 7 at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town. Book through Computicket or Dial-a-seat, 021 421-7695.