WHEN choreographer and dancer, Dorah Mbokazi started a dance school in 1994 with six kids, she could not imagine the heights that she would eventually reach and the stars the endeavour would produce.
WHEN choreographer and dancer, Dorah Mbokazi started a dance school in 1994 with six kids, she could not imagine the heights that she would eventually reach and the stars the endeavour would produce.
Mbokazi turned a space in the front of her parents' house in Zone 10 Meadowlands into an informal dance studio.
Twenty years down the line, Dorah's Dance School now has over 100 kids from nearby communities.
The school has also produced dance stars such as Chomee and Lulu Mlangeni, winner of the So You Think You Can Dance competition in 2010.
Music stars like Arthur Mafokate, Chicco Twala, Chomee and the late Brenda Fassie have utilised her dancers in their music videos.
Some of her many highlights were when her dancers performed in the 2010 opening and closing ceremonies of the Confederations Cup, 2010 Fifa World Cup, danced for Joyous Celebration and at the ANC Siyanqoba rally among others. Mbokazi was trained by the late Wendy Ramokgadi who was the brains behind the diski dance during the soccer World Cup
"I started teaching Chomee [to dance] at the age of five. She knows that I used to punish her a lot, and I am happy that she turned out to be a great dancer," says Mbokazi.
Her protégé Chomee, whose real name is Thulisile Madihlaba, says she was four years old when she joined Mbokazi's school and credits her as one of the few people who have contributed to her success. She recalls how Mbokazi taught her valuable lessons about punctuality and professionalism.
"She taught me a lot about dance and [the] entertainment industry.
"Sis Dorah used to tell us that you need to take your craft seriously, especially when performing, because people pay to see you."
As much as Mbokazi has turned girls like Chomee into stars, she prefers to stay away from the limelight.
She says when she started the school she just wanted to take young girls off the streets.
"I am just a community worker who wants to see young girls reaching their full potential."
Mbokazi teaches children between the ages of five and 20 for free. They do dance styles such as hip-hop, modern contemporary, Afro-fusion, dance hall and freestyle.
She makes a living out of the dancers' performances.
Mbokazi says she often has to buy the dancers their costumes or pay for their transport when they go to performances. She pays them a certain amount after performances, depending on the kind of jobs they have been booked for.
"I am not complaining because I love what I am doing. But it pains me when we work with people who do not pay you for services rendered."
Though Mbokazi is very strict, her dance group adore her and refer to her as Sis Dorah.
"I don't only focus on dance but I become the big sister who mentors them about real life issues. They know that if I find them misbehaving on the streets they get punished," she says .
Though she is passionate about working with girls, she has recently added a section for boys who are doing pantsula dance in her school.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Dorah's dance school for tomorrow's stars
WHEN choreographer and dancer, Dorah Mbokazi started a dance school in 1994 with six kids, she could not imagine the heights that she would eventually reach and the stars the endeavour would produce.
WHEN choreographer and dancer, Dorah Mbokazi started a dance school in 1994 with six kids, she could not imagine the heights that she would eventually reach and the stars the endeavour would produce.
Mbokazi turned a space in the front of her parents' house in Zone 10 Meadowlands into an informal dance studio.
Twenty years down the line, Dorah's Dance School now has over 100 kids from nearby communities.
The school has also produced dance stars such as Chomee and Lulu Mlangeni, winner of the So You Think You Can Dance competition in 2010.
Music stars like Arthur Mafokate, Chicco Twala, Chomee and the late Brenda Fassie have utilised her dancers in their music videos.
Some of her many highlights were when her dancers performed in the 2010 opening and closing ceremonies of the Confederations Cup, 2010 Fifa World Cup, danced for Joyous Celebration and at the ANC Siyanqoba rally among others. Mbokazi was trained by the late Wendy Ramokgadi who was the brains behind the diski dance during the soccer World Cup
"I started teaching Chomee [to dance] at the age of five. She knows that I used to punish her a lot, and I am happy that she turned out to be a great dancer," says Mbokazi.
Her protégé Chomee, whose real name is Thulisile Madihlaba, says she was four years old when she joined Mbokazi's school and credits her as one of the few people who have contributed to her success. She recalls how Mbokazi taught her valuable lessons about punctuality and professionalism.
"She taught me a lot about dance and [the] entertainment industry.
"Sis Dorah used to tell us that you need to take your craft seriously, especially when performing, because people pay to see you."
As much as Mbokazi has turned girls like Chomee into stars, she prefers to stay away from the limelight.
She says when she started the school she just wanted to take young girls off the streets.
"I am just a community worker who wants to see young girls reaching their full potential."
Mbokazi teaches children between the ages of five and 20 for free. They do dance styles such as hip-hop, modern contemporary, Afro-fusion, dance hall and freestyle.
She makes a living out of the dancers' performances.
Mbokazi says she often has to buy the dancers their costumes or pay for their transport when they go to performances. She pays them a certain amount after performances, depending on the kind of jobs they have been booked for.
"I am not complaining because I love what I am doing. But it pains me when we work with people who do not pay you for services rendered."
Though Mbokazi is very strict, her dance group adore her and refer to her as Sis Dorah.
"I don't only focus on dance but I become the big sister who mentors them about real life issues. They know that if I find them misbehaving on the streets they get punished," she says .
Though she is passionate about working with girls, she has recently added a section for boys who are doing pantsula dance in her school.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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