Sbongakonke ‘Sbo’ Maphumulo’s love for dancing started with a simple dare.

A friend challenged him to see who could last the longest in a dance class. Maphumulo took the challenge and won, but it wasn’t the victory that changed his life; it was what happened next. “I fell in love with Irish dancing that day.”

From that playful beginning, Maphumulo explored multiple styles: hip hop, contemporary, and gumboot, but it was Irish dancing that captured his heart. “The thing that drew me to Irish dancing was how different it was from everything else I’d done or seen before.”

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Irish dancing is divided into solo performances and group dances, called Ceili. While Maphumulo enjoys the camaraderie of Ceili, it’s solo dancing that truly excites him. “I want to focus on more solo dancing, but my studio does Ceili as well, so I do that as well. I’m excited about solo dancing because I love the challenge and I love competing.”

His dream of joining the Duncan Studio in Paulshof began in 2018, when he first saw the studio perform. At the time, he was still living in KwaZulu-Natal, and the dream seemed far away, but, after finishing high school, Maphumulo moved to Gauteng with one clear goal: To train with the studio he admired. “Being a part of the studio has been one of the best things to happen to me.

It’s more than just a studio; it’s a family, and I’m super grateful to my teachers, Susan Theron and Bernard van der Kuil, for all they’ve done for me, in and out of the studio, to prepare me, on and off the stage.

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I’ve grown a lot of confidence in my dancing, and I’ve been able to train like the rest of the world, at an extremely high level.”

All the hard work culminated in a 9th-place world ranking, an achievement that still amazes him. “It surprises me every time someone mentions it. To represent my family, my studio, and my country at that level is an incredible honour.”

Motivation for Maphumolo is deeply personal. “It was my mom’s dying wish that I reach as high as I could. She was my biggest supporter, and I dance to honour her and that wish.”

Alongside that, support from fellow dancers from South Africa, and around the world, keeps him striving… Pushing boundaries with every performance.

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