We are a country that values using dance as a form of self-expression and as a tool to overcome the many difficulties we encounter every day. The foundation of SboNdaba Dance is this philosophy.
This organisation, which takes its name from its charismatic founder and well-known choreographer, Sbonakaliso Ndaba, was founded with the very specific goal of identifying promising dance talent at the local level and developing dancers into qualified professionals who can find work as dancers and teachers.
Focusing on genuine job creation as a result made sense in a nation where unemployment is averaging over 35%. “Dancers who graduate from SboNdaba Dance will be proficient performers, but more significantly, they will be certified dance instructors able to make a livelihood while using their skills to the benefit of their surrounding communities,” says Sbonakaliso Ndaba, director of SboNdaba Dance.
This emphasis on employment development is what drew Extreme to support SboNdaba Dance. According to Natasha Coppin, the marketing manager for Extreme, “Extreme believes in the constructive potential of dance to allow upliftment in South Africa.”
With an outcomes-based approach that empowers people and generates uplifting energy for change in their local communities, “SboNdaba Dance puts purpose into practise. We are honoured to be a part of their remarkable journey, which is fueled by the energising kick of Extreme.
Extreme has included several of the dancers as performers in its most recent Bula Sekele national dance competition in addition to financing SboNdaba Dance’s current programme.
A request to widen up the dance floor so that more people may participate in the event is made using the word “Bula Sekele,” which is used in popular culture and means “make the circle wider.” It’s also a plea for the dancers in our nation to have more access to opportunities in the profession.
All dancers are now on track to graduate in the first half of 2023, and the qualification offered by SboNdaba Dance is fully recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). T
hrough these workshops, dancers will be able to combine their current understanding of contemporary dance and African dance with their newfound teaching abilities to lead more mural lessons in dance studios and communities.
In actuality, all of the dancers have experience instructing Outreach Classes in their local communities, and these workshops provide more comprehensive instruction to develop their teaching abilities and boost their teacher confidence.
Mthetheleli Dlakavu, a young dancer who was discovered locally and subsequently hired to perform at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival in 2022, is just one of the success stories to come out of SboNdaba Dance.
As a member of the famed musical Shona the Musical Choir, Mthethetheli is currently practising for a tour of the UK.
SboNdaba Sis’ Sbonakaliso is as enthusiastic as ever about the ability of dance to transform people’s lives, and dance is set for a bright future.
And now that Extreme is on board, fulfilling that ambition just became a little bit simpler.
Alcohol Not for Persons Under the Age of Eighteen, supported by Extreme.
Leave a Reply