Breaking Ballet is an ongoing series of bite-size ballets inspired by the biggest stories online. These take the form of short films, which are seeded straight back into trending conversations on social media.

The entire process – from identifying the trigger, to briefing the dancers, to producing the film and seeding it back into the conversation – takes 3 to 5 days. This ensures that the stories are still highly relevant when the films are launched.

Ordinarily a ballet production involves many months of conceptualisation, choreography and rehearsals. The most exciting thing for all parties involved in this series of ballets, from the dancers to the audience, has been not knowing what story is coming next.

The campaign is 100% shaped by real-time data mined from social media. This is then artistically reinterpreted as a brand new ballet. This data also shapes the short film, in terms of the mood, location, cinematography and art direction.

The series has responded to a range of topics, from social issues like gun control, LGBTQI rights in Africa, women abuse and the Cape Town Drought, to sport, to blockbuster films like Black Panther.

By feeding highly relevant stories straight back into trending conversations, the campaign has earned a lot of success. Ballet and Joburg Ballet in particular are being spoken about in places they never dreamed of. Important stats include:

560% ROI in earned media

24 million media impressions

91% engagement rate

39% increase in social media followers

Ticket sales are at an all-time high and climbing show on show