LETS DANCE

SETH NGCOBO SHARES HIS LOVE FOR DANCING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES

- story shirley le guern pictures val adamson

Young Seth Ngcobo might be working at the Total Service Station in Botha’s Hill by day, but his dream of becoming a professional dancer and following in the footsteps of the local dancers who are making their mark on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing is alive and well.

More importantly, while he’s waiting for an opportunity to quick step his way to a world-renowned ballroom, he is sharing his love for dancing with local communities spread across the Valley of 1 000 Hills.

Late last year, he was approached by Ubizo, a nonprofit organisation that has created a school of arts to nurture young talents. Based on the fact that unemployment and poverty are rife across disadvantaged communities across the valley, and because performing arts such as music, drama and dancing are almost non-existent in local schools, Seth is looking forward to holding classes for children at the local arts centre.

Apart from discovering talented young dancers from these communities, he also believes that evening classes for adults will provide some “couple time” and give families with little that is inspirational in their lives a chance to have fun. Just as the poorest of poor danced the night away to the strains of African jazz in the dance halls of Sophiatown in the 50s and 60s, there’s no reason why locals should not dance present day troubles away and include dance in their culture once more, he believes.

“People think that they need to go to gym to be well and to get fit, but dancing can do that for you and you can have fun.”

Seth followed in the footsteps of his mother who danced until 1990, when she hung up her shoes to take care of him and his younger brother. In 2003, at the age of just seven, his mother persuaded him to trade in his gymnastics classes for dance classes. He says she invested a great deal in dancing for both him and his brother, eventually moving the family from Umlazi where they didn’t have many opportunities to dance.

He admits that it wasn’t the coolest thing for a youngster to do – although now he is often approached about dance classes via social media, thanks to a resurgence of interest following the popularity of international television programmes.

Seth’s love of dance has also allowed him to navigate a number of challenges in his life – including the loss of his mother.

Today he practices up to three times a week and says his favourite dance is definitely the romantic waltz. Seth won his first South African dancing championship with partner Kayla de Chalain in 2011. When she moved away to continue her studies, he teamed up with Madison Bromfield, opening up another exciting chapter in his dancing career – participating in the local version of Shall We Dance South Africa for a number of years.

This was an important boost to his dancing career, and he has worked extremely hard to be a lead in this event – which is presented annually by the South African Dance Teachers’ Association (SADTA). The partners also won the SADTA South African Rising Star Championship in 2017.

The Covid pandemic and lockdown slowed the creation of the dance school but classes are, at last, up and running for both youngsters and adults. Meanwhile, Seth is also looking for some vital equipment – a sound system, fans and mirrors – and is appealing for donations.

With his present partner, Zandile Mbhile, Seth will be teaching ballroom and Latin American dance. But he is open to other professionals joining in to offer classes on everything from ballet to traditional indigenous dance.

FOR MORE INFO: Instagram @ seth_Benjahmin or call 067 759 2491

Dancers Seth Ngcobo and Juanita Pillay at the launch of the annual dance extravaganza Shall We Dance 2019 that took place at the Durban Playhouse.