Dancing taught me how to be a man

There's no substitute for reality. Television and its grandchildren have allowed us to see more, but the comforting distraction they afford can cause us to experience less. While digital media can be a useful educational tool for exposing young minds to the scope of the world, it can't replace real life. This is the foundational idea behind Letlhogonolo Nche's Journey, an initiative that aims to take dance off the screen and into the lives of township children.

Nche found freedom through physical performance when he was a boy, though to hold onto it he was forced to fight the ridicule of his peers. He would not be told that he should not move his body a certain way… that it just wasn't for men. Because dance made him feel alive. After matriculating, Nche's perseverance was rewarded when he earned a scholarship to pursue his passion at Moving into Dance Mophatong. “Dancing has taught me resilience and how to love something unconditionally,” he reflects.

Still in the beginnings of his career, Nche felt compelled to return home to the Northern Cape to develop the art in his community. “Dancing is my purpose,” he says. “It's what feeds my soul and guides me in the right direction.” His chargeless programme gives girls and boys of all ages the opportunity to have dance influence the course of their lives, promoting the creativity and freedom of self that is essential to healthy development.



Nche's Journey

In September last year, Heather Dugmore of Business Day met with Nche at the dance studio in Kimberley's Mayibuye Multipurpose Centre.

“Many learners in Northern Cape communities have never been to a natural history museum or to a live theatre performance — their only experience of theatre has been on TV,” Nche told Dugmore.

At the time Nche was working on A Walk in a Museum which explored a range of wild African animals to show learners what they look like, how they behave and the sounds that they make.

Since 2013, Nche has managed and taught contemporary dance at the Mayibuye Dance Academy, an initiative of the Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council and its department of sport, arts, and culture. Born and raised in Pampierstad, 120km from Kimberley, he was the first recipient of the ImpACT Award for Dance, which recognises individuals making an impact in the development of the arts, culture, and creative sectors.

“A Walk in a Museum is part of my Journey series of productions, which are aimed at inspiring young people and exposing them to the arts from a young age,” Nche says. “This helps give them a strong sense of who they are, and an opportunity to think about the things they can achieve in their lives.

“I called the series Journey because I am on a journey to discover the opportunities, skills and innovations in the arts that can change the lives of young people. Journey is just one of our initiatives at the academy, where we train young people who want to pursue dance as a career, and help them secure auditions, apply for scholarships, and enter competitions.”



Family affair

The academy offers programmes for pupils in a range of dance styles, including contemporary, ballet, Latin, and ballroom.

In 2015, two of Nche's students were among the six finalists for the annual ACT | Dalro | Nedbank Scholarship.

He also mentored his younger brother, Katlego Nche, a talented dancer, actor and singer who won the 2014 ACT | Dalro | Nedbank Scholarship.

The internationally acclaimed Johannesburg dance company and training institution Moving Into Dance Mophatong offered seven of Nche's students an opportunity to further their dance training.

“Katlego and I are very fortunate that both our parents encouraged our interest in the performing arts,” he says.

“Many fathers are caught up in outdated masculine stereotypes, but our dad, Tshokolo Nche, who works in maintenance at a bus company, is very supportive of our dancing. At the same time, he is supportive of our sister Kesekang's love of playing soccer.”

Their mother, Pontsho, was a Latin and ballroom dancer who won various competitions when she was younger. However, there were no opportunities for her to pursue a professional dancing career.

She encouraged her sons when they showed an interest in dancing.



Love was great

“I was nine when I started doing ballroom and Latin, and I used to get mocked at school about doing girls' stuff,” Nche recalls.

“It put a lot of emotional strain on me, but I carried on because my love of dance was greater than their putting me down,” he says.

Within two months of starting dance classes, he won regional competitions with his partner.

When he was in grade 10 and attended the National School Arts Festival in Mafikeng, he took the decision to pursue dancing as a career.

“At that festival I met two internationally acclaimed dance partners, Kagiso Ntseane and Tebogo Kgobokoe. I looked up to them, and from then on I really wanted to dance.”

At the festival, Nche attended a contemporary dance show by Moving Into Dance and knew this was the style he wanted to pursue.

“I hadn't been exposed to contemporary dance before, and after completing my matric at Pampierstad High School, I went for an audition at Moving Into Dance and I was offered a scholarship for 2009,” he says.

He moved to Jo'burg, completed the year and returned to the Northern Cape, where he volunteered as a dance teacher at schools in Pampierstad and taught Afrofusion dance at the Virgin Active gym in Kimberley to make a living.

“For me, it was very important to return home, give back and share my knowledge and skills here because of the lack of opportunities available for learners and young people with performing arts talents,” he says.

Nche became one of the first teachers at the Mayibuye Dance Academy, where he developed programmes for learners and young people in the greater Kimberley district.

“This province isn't recognised for the arts, but I want to change this because there is so much talent.

NEWS24 & BUSINESS DAY