PE’s Finest and The PE Opera House present The Whirlwind: Dawid Stuurman directed and choreographed by Junior Ferreira.
In this dance piece, Junior follows the story of iconic Khoi San hero Dawid Stuurman who was born around 1773 in the Gamtoosriver area near the Eastern Cape.
In the 17th century the Khoi and San people were banished from their traditional land and forced into farm workers. Stuurman found himself working for a farmer, Johannes Vermaak, where he was caught up in the brutal attacks of “Vermaak”
Once Vermaak tied Stuurman to a wagon wheel, whipped him with a sjambok, thereafter throwing salt on his wounds and left him in the sun whole day after a disagreement. Stuurman later abandoned his role as farm labourer and formed his own rebel group and fought back against the farmers and those who had stripped his people of their land.
After being sent to Robben Island without a benefit of a trial, Dawid escaped on a number of occasions. After his third escape, Dawid was banished to Australia.
After six years in compulsory government employment Stuurman was given permission to work for wages for himself. He died on the 22 February 1830 in Sydney Australia at the General Hospital.
PE’s Finest was started by Marian Ferreira in 2009 after recognizing her son’s huge potential as a dancer and thus invited other talented under-18 year old youngsters from the Northern Areas to form part of the dance crew. They ambitiously called their group PE’s Finest’. The dance crew has since competed in Hip Hop and all-inclusive dance competitions within Nelson Mandela Bay winning the chance to represent this region in the Eastern Cape’s Shukuma Provincial Dance Festival. There in they won silver and gold medals in 2014 and 2015 respectively. For this feat PE’s Finest became the only group in the Eastern Cape to reach that level. In 2014 and 2015 PE’s Finest qualified to compete in the World Hip Hop Championships in Las Vegas and San Diego. Junior was chosen as the Best Choreographer in the Eastern Cape in 2015 from the only truly provincial dance festival, Shukuma Provincial Dance Festival. The full complement of PE’s Finest’s cast for The Whirlwind: Dawid Stuurman comprises of Dugulth Junior Ferreira, Nthunthuzelo Grootboom, Kaashiefa Plaatjies, Meagan Vitealingum and Dillon Domingo
Dugulth “Junior” Ferreira hailing from Salsonville in the Northern Areas of Nelson Mandela Bay, is a young and diverse choreographer who has worked with dancers throughout the Bay and has equipped himself with different dancing styles and genres despite Hip Hop being his primary focus. He has choreographed for festivals and competitions such as: Shukuma Provincial Dance Festival; Bay Music Awards; S.A Hip Hop Dance Championships, South African Sport, Fitness, Sport, Aerobics Federation; Northern Areas Arts Festival; Splash Festival; Summer Season; Uitenhage Carnival and many more. To his credit Junior has received and won many awards for the works he has choreographed. The following are some of the confirmations he has attained without dispute, Most Promising Dancer; Best Dancer and Best Choreographer.
The past year has proved to a great one for Junior as he was invited to perform with some of South Africa’s much loved musicians such as Ricky Rick, Casper Nyovest, AKA, Shekinah, multi award winning DJ and sought after Producer Black Coffee. Junior was also selected to be one of the SA Idols 2016 back up dancers and for the Mama Awards in Johannesburg.
In October of 2016 he was chosen as mentor along with 15 other choreographers for the Nelson Mandela Bay Township Schools Dance Festival produced by the PE Opera House and funded by the Nelson Mandela Municipality and won the Best Choreography and the school, Hillside High won overall 1st place.
Junior is a regular on our television screens as he also features in the MTN ‘Marvin’ advertisement.
About Dance Seasons
Dance Seasons at The PE Opera House is commissioned works staged every month for a week long short run. This programme is designed to breathe life into ready productions that are produced largely by local based experts.
Your Experience At The Venue
A cash bar is available at the Ideas Corner (Upper Foyer) and the Sweet Counter at the Ground Floor [open an hour before the show begins and after the show].
Show Dates : 14 – 17 June 2017
Venue : The Barn Theatre, PE Opera House
Time : [14 – 16 June] 19:00
[17 June] 14:00 and 19:00
Admission : R50.00 (Students and Pensioners are R20.00)
limited seating be sure to be early
Alan Straton
Latest posts by Alan Straton (see all)
- Calling All Business Owners: Tell Us How You Made It Happen - 22 October 2026
- Sky Dental Puts Gum Health at the Centre of Care in Sandton - 22 October 2026
- The Gold Avenue Urges Krugerrand Holders to Avoid Private Sales to Strangers - 22 October 2026
- Soccer Laduma Urges SA Punters to Read the Terms Before They Bet This October - 21 October 2026
- Nifty Gifts Rounds up Spring Birthday Gifts and New Arrivals for Her - 21 October 2026
