Rexleigh has composed a mini-ballet called Namaste – my soul bows to your soul, celebrating the life and work of SA abstract artist Hannatjie van der Wat, which was premiered in the SMAC gallery at Van der Wat’s 70th retrospective exhibition launch on 9 May 2013.

The story sections of the ballet as choreographed by Cilna Katzke, are described below the video.

NAMASTE : a ballet in one act by Rexleigh Bunyard February 2013

1 Prologue : Serenade 1 (section) Men students serenade the girls
2 Students on their way to class : WITS student ball : students scurry into class
3 The Promise : Hanna says she will marry the man who catches a flower when they next come to serenade : towards the end of this item, flowers are delivered to Hanna
4 Serenade 1 (complete) Hanna throws a flower out of the bedroom window to the serenaders
5 Hanna looks for the flower she threw into the alleyway the day after : it isn’t there
6 Serenade 2 : Hanna stays at home waiting for no-one.
7 The students move house and go their separate ways.
8 Namaste : The Art Class : a student is asked to “draw the curtains” and is very fedup – she wants to draw the model!
9 Hanna goes home on the train to the farm
10 Koos phones Hanna while she is painting, on the farm.
11 Koos comes to visit Hanna on the farm.
12 The train journey to graduation and back : Koos graduates cum laude and on the way home he asks Hanna to marry him
13 The engagement party : Koos reveals the flower kept in his bible all the years : he caught it
14 Wedding celebration finale.