Checking in with the Jazzart Trainees in 2024
Top row: Chuma Mathiso, Lithle who’s from Zolani and dances with Jazzart’s professional company, Kristine Elliott, Phelo Ngxukuma.
Bottom row: Thimna Ndweand, Milisa Mathiso.
In 2023, Gugulethu Ballet Project sponsored four trainees in their first year of Jazzart Dance Theatre’s three year pre-professional training programme: Chuma Mathiso, Milisa Mathiso, Phelo Ngxukuma, and Thimna Ndwe. These dancers were trained at our partner school Dancescape in Zolani, and all have been past recipients of Gugulethu Ballet Project’s support to study at Alonzo King LINES Ballet’s summer intensive in San Francisco. We’re proud to facilitate their transition from students to pre-professional dancers. Our support helps with their housing, groceries, transportation, and dance supplies.
At the beginning of 2024, we checked in with the trainees to hear how their first year of the program has been, and what they’re looking forward to entering their second year of training.
Chuma Mathiso
My name is Chuma Mathiso, and I am a 19 year old dancer from Ashton–2 hours outside of Cape Town. Being at Jazzart has been a huge change in my life and played a huge role in me improving this whole year.
This year we had a lot of teachers coming in and out to teach us and grant us the experience of learning different genres and techniques. It was not always easy to adapt to their ways of teaching, but it was worth it. We had legends coming to teach us, and that is a great honour. We have to be fit for everything: mentally, spiritually, and physically. Through challenges in the studio and in performances, we all adapt and evolve as dancers. I believe I grew very fast.
I have been sponsored by the Gugulethu Ballet Project through the year, and that has been a huge help financially. I am now looking forward to my second year as a trainee and also to continuing to work with the company, which is motivating and fun.
Milisa Mathiso
My name is Milisa Mathiso, and I’m currently a trainee at Jazzart Dance Theatre. Last year was an amazing and a productive year. We’ve done a lot of performing, and we’ve learnt a lot from different teachers and choreographers. I’m so grateful for Gugulethu Ballet Project for sponsoring us financially throughout the year. It has carried us through, and we’ve managed very well. I don’t know how we would’ve survived without it. I’m looking forward to the next year❤️🙏🏼
Phelo Ngxukuma
The program has been a great help for me. It’s teaching me new ways of moving and also how to be versatile, so that I can get a job dancing any genre. They train us for the outside world, and I see myself growing every day. Every day I can’t wait to start so that I can learn more.
The support from Gugulethu Ballet Project helps a lot. GBP covers some of our costs–especially rent, transport, and emergency funds. Thank you GBP for supporting us.