15 and ready to take on the world
MBOMBELA - At just 15, Lowvelder’s Got Talent ambassador Lee-Ann Kholwane is almost certainly set to take the international world of performing arts by storm.
Lee-Ann recently travelled across the globe to Tampa, Florida, USA, where she competed in four categories of the International Talent Showcase (ITS): monologue, TV commercial, dancing and singing.
She placed first for the teen singing and dancing categories and made it to the top five for the TV commercial category, earning her two scholarships worth over R300 000 to participate in training programmes through the very prestigious New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.
Lee-Ann is now set to attend the New York Conservatory’s summer camp in July and has plans to make it big in the world of acting, singing and dancing.
The young performer’s journey to international stardom all started in 2018, when she was just 11, and when she joined Master Models Talent, a Lowveld-based academy of modelling and personal development.
She said she had already begun dancing with Rhythm Image Dance Studio when she was just six, and is skilled in 12 different styles of dance.
Lee-Ann said, however, that the owners of Master Models, Candice and Marc Paterson, had introduced her to various competitions and, along with the support of her family, encouraged her to dream big and participate in events that would ultimately lead her to winning her scholarships.
The Lowvelder’s Got Talent showcase, which took place late last year, saw Lee-Ann bag the title of Lowvelder’s Got Talent ambassador and the title of Lowvelder’s ambassador.
“I travelled to Florida with Candice in early July this year for the ITS. We were there for a week. It was very exciting, there were so many different talent scouts and I was able to get more of an idea of how the industry works.
“I love everything about the performing arts. I think my favourite is dance, especially contemporary dance, but I think I would like to focus most on acting and possibly start looking at getting cast in movies,” she said. Lee-Ann's mother, Petunia Kholwane, an established and successful advocate, said she is incredibly proud of her daughter and all she has accomplished so far.
“We are so excited to see the success she has already garnered and are looking forward to seeing her progress,” said the proud mother.
Lowvelder’s Got Talent 2022 is starting the scouting process for this year’s showcase this weekend.
The purpose of Lowvelder’s Got Talent is to give Mbombela’s youth a platform to showcase their talent and to assist the development of the various winners.
Scouting will take place at i’langa Mall on Saturday September 10 from 10:00 until 15:00 as well as September 17 and September 24.