Dance company is intent on pulling the right moves
Dinganga Theatre Creations sets sights on helping youth via its kids project
SOUTH Africans love dancing and yet few are lucky enough to earn a living from their well-practised moves. But for some keen youngsters the door to a paying career has been opened by a traditional music and dance theatre guru.
Thabang Ramaila, famed for creating the award-winning dance story is helping young people become professional dancers through his Dinganga Theatre Creations company.
An accomplished dancer can earn as much as R5 000 a week on an international tour.
Ramaila spoke to The Star about his recent travels to Senegal and his kids programme for young dance enthusiasts.
“We were invited by the South African Embassy, who wanted a versatile group. That’s how we ended up in Senegal,” said Ramaila.
In April, the acclaimed creative director travelled with Gauteng Dance Manyano to Senegal, where they performed six traditional dances with musicians at the Grand Theatre in the capital Dakar.
“Some of my dancers and I grew up dancing West African dances. I would attend a lot of workshops conducted by African choreographers,” said Ramaila.
“We have a deeper understanding of West African music, especially djembe rhythms. That’s how African dance is performed – through powerful percussive sounds.
“That’s how I got my understanding of West African dance and music through my early days of dancing and workshops I attended in South Africa and overseas.”
Ramaila described the trip to Senegal as successful and life-changing.
“We were given a chance to know about African history and heritage.
“The hospitality was humbling; we found a lot of similarities in the dance and music. The overall response from the audience, other groups and the Grand Theatre managers was overwhelming.
“We were humbled that our Senegalese audience understood most of the dances. They also felt there were so many similarities between our dance and music and theirs.”
At the end of the tour, South African ambassador to Senegal, Abel Mxolisi Shilubane, said: “This is the beginning. Watch out for the coming few months, it’s a build-up to next year. You’ve seen the similarities in our dances. (Is there) anybody who wants to argue that we are not one? We don’t need speeches, we need to dance together.”
When he returned to South Africa, Ramaila turned his focus towards his kids programme.
It was designed for children between the ages of six and 14.
“We teach them Cuban ballet methodology, African dance, contemporary and township dance,” said Ramaila.
He said the programme also assisted dance enthusiasts with life skills and monitored their school performance.
“We give them proper tools and skills to become great and exciting dancers. We also encourage them to do well at school so that they can obtain degrees or diplomas, so they can have another option to sustain themselves.”
Ramaila said more established entities, which he referred to as white professional dance companies, were employing black dancers.
Asked how much a dancer could expect to earn, he said it ranged between R6 000 and R10 000 a month, depending on what individual companies paid.
“Most of the money is made on international tours and commercial gigs,” he said, adding that many dance companies relied on donors for funding.
“International tours pay around R2 000 to R5 000 per week,” said Ramaila. “I give my dancers two years of training before they start working with dance companies. I have trained a lot of dancers, and some have worked with international companies.”
Among the successful dancers Ramaila trained through his company are Portia Mabalane, Zoleka Cumbi, Mmule Mokgele, Lindiwe Tsotetsi, Monwabisi Gulubela and Sipho Jele.
It is not surprising then that Ramaila named his company Dinganga, which means “the very best” in Setswana.
his inspiring dance story, highlights the hardships women endure in the name of love.
The production has been performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, the Soul Dance Festival and the Soweto Arts Festival. – ANA