Tembisa youth shines in arts
'With the money that we get from our gigs and competitions we buy our uniforms, we build a dance studio and we support our families.'
Tembisa youth finds hope in the arts to keep away from crime and alleviate the stress of unemployment.
A dance academy called Indigenous Dance Academy from Welamlambo Section was established by Jarrel Mathebula and Neo Sebete. The co-founders have groomed Fire Crew which is a Pantula dance group that has graced different stages since 2008.
“ We were inspired to start a brotherhood group. We had that spirit of brotherly love to support one another regardless of our backgrounds.
“From 2008 we did a lot of things and the journey was long.
“We performed at mines doing promotion for Bambanani plus bonus.
“We have also entertained people during the Philly’s game,” said the Fire Crew spokesperson Dumisani Khumalo.
Fire Crew have widely showcased their talent and uplifted Tembisan youth by entering competitions like Stumbo stomp Amapantsula, an SABC1 competition season one and two, and they won both seasons.
Khumalo said the group has also been to the Red Bull Beat Battle Competition where they were competing against eight best dancing crews in the country and they made it to the semi-finals.
“Our challenge is that when people see us on TV they think we have money. They don’t see us as breaking the boundaries of impossibilities. They start to judge our lifestyle.
“With the money that we get from our gigs and competitions we buy our uniforms, we build a dance studio and we support our families.”
Khumalo continues to say that they are not working fulltime, but they do what they love and it gives them money. Some of them pay school tuition fees.
“It’s not a lot of money but we do our best to keep the South African culture of Pansula Dance.
“We have been to different countries like Italy where I had to choreograph a dance group comprising 15 girls. We also went to Dubai and Paris.
“We are not trying to mimic American dance crews. But we try to get keep the culture of Kwaito the culture of Kasi,” explain the choreographer Hlulani Baloyi.
Fire Crew’s marketing and social media manager Mduduzi Mahlangu said people who want to book Fire Crew for corporate events, music videos, documentaries and other purposes can contact Jarrel Mathebula on 072 796 2221 or email jarrelmathebula@gmail.com.
