We’ll it seems like these kids definitely can. Dance For All, is a Cape Town based Outreach Program in classrooms and community halls scattered around the townships of Gugulethu, Nyanga, Langa and Khayelitsha. Dance for All teachers move aside desks and chairs and sweep the floors in preparation for the hundreds of children making their way to dance class.
The safe structured environment of these daily dance classes offer a haven for these children who-without other extra mural activities to occupy them in the afternoon-might otherwise be on the street where they could easily fall prey to influences leading to involvement in drug use or petty crime.
Many of these children, ranging in age from three to young adults, come from extremely poor home circumstances. Most do not have stable home environments. While some have single parents, others are in the care of siblings or a grandmother. There are those who even have to contend with an abusive situation or alcoholic parents.
Under the leadership of Cape Town Outreach Manager Hope Nongqongqo, Dance For All’s Cape Town Outreach Program is teaching about 300 students in these township communities, as well as in Athlone. Dance For All’s classes offer ballet, African and contemporary dance styles. Having grown in popularity in the townships and are attracting many children who want to become something in their lives, but also those who simply come for fun. As a result of this growing interest, Dance For All will be offering classes in three new schools in 2012, reaching about 100 more children.
A hallmark of the outreach program – which is reflected in the name Dance for All – is that, regardless of their ability, children from the age of three to young adults are welcomed into Dance For All’s free classes. An exciting development is that a lot of young boys have joined and they are so talented and keen.
The Cape Town Outreach Program has a dedicated team of teachers that consists of Margie Sim, Bruno Wani, Ingrid Carlson, Christopher Kindo, Nigel Lucas, Grant Puchert and Thulisile Ndindwa, as well as founder students of Dance of All,Hope Nongqongqo, Lorraine Ndindwa and Nobuntu Nqolase.
Students selected to participate in Dance For All’s cluster of Specialized Dance Programs – African Contemporary, Ballet and Contemporary Ballet – are drawn from the Cape Town Outreach Program.
