Durban dancer and choreographer Thobeka Maphumulo opens up about choreographing for Swae Lee ahead of his Ascots set at the Hollywoodbets Durban July, manifestation, and 14 years in the game.
Durban-born dancer and choreographer Thobeka Maphumulo choreographed a shoot with US star Swae Lee during his trip to South Africa for The Ascots at the Hollywoodbets Durban July. Picture: Instagram, @yogirl_tbk
When American rapper Swae Lee touched down in South Africa in July to headline The Ascots at the Hollywoodbets Durban July, he didn’t just come for the stage. He also linked up with a local dancer for a shoot that ended up meaning a lot more to her than a day’s work.
Durban-born dancer and choreographer Thobeka Maphumulo, a Krump-trained performer with 14 years in the game, choreographed the movement for Swae Lee’s video shoot in Durban, blending amapiano with Zulu dance references.
She sat down with The Citizen‘s Lifestyle desk to talk about how the opportunity came together, what it was like working with the Unforgettable hitmaker, and the journey that got her there.
‘I spoke it into existence’
Maphumulo says the opportunity felt almost too well-timed to be a coincidence. A month before Swae Lee’s trip, she’d been venting on her Instagram Stories about wanting people to believe in her ability as a dancer and choreographer.
“The collaboration with Swae Lee literally was God’s work, because a month before I had been venting on my Instagram story how I wish people could believe I can do [more], then I spoke it into existence that I will also get an opportunity one day,” she says.
She’d heard Swae Lee was in the country but assumed the moment wasn’t for her. Then, a day or two before he was due to leave, she got a call from a contact she credits as “Alfa Kat”, who needed dancers for a shoot and vouched for her. What followed was a chance to choreograph for a Swae Lee music video shoot.
“Whenever you get an opportunity with whoever, give your all, because you never know who’s watching,” she says.
Amapiano, Zulu culture and ‘side eyes’
For the Swae Lee shoot, Maphumulo leaned into a distinctly South African sound and movement vocabulary. She describes the brief as a celebration of amapiano and Zulu culture, rather than a clash between the two.
“It was just a beautiful representation of the South African sound, which is amapiano, and our biggest flex, which is the dancing,” she says. “There was definitely no culture clash for me, because Amapiano, Zulu and the music represent SA so well and beautifully.”
She points to Swae Lee’s own lyrics as a natural entry point for the choreography, referencing his “Side Eye” line as something she imagined paired with a South African amapiano move.
Meeting Swae Lee: ‘The most humble, kindest person’
Maphumulo admits she never expected to meet Swae Lee in person, given his profile. She says any nerves about him being unapproachable were quickly put to rest.
“You think, ahh, he’s going to be mean or boujee, or he won’t want us next to him, but he is literally the most humble, kindest person ever,” she says. “We spoke and laughed as if we had known each other for a long time.”
She says his team gave the dancers room to express themselves and their culture, and that she used the time to teach Swae Lee some Zulu terms and dance moves, including “Asambe”. The main challenge, she says, was squeezing hair, make-up and final choreography touches into a tight turnaround before he had to leave.
From Krump to choreography
Maphumulo’s dance story starts long before this shoot. She says she’s been dancing for 14 years, starting out as a Krumper before branching into Gqom, freestyle, performance and choreography.
“I started off as a Krumper – that is the first dance style I learnt,” she says. “I fell in love with the feeling, how raw and powerful it is, and I feel like that’s where I got my confidence.”
She names Kamo Mphela and Busiswa among the artists she’s worked with, and says she’s performed Gqom shows internationally, including in Sweden. She’s also worked, by her account, with a list of brands and artists that includes Red Bull, Adidas, Shield (Rexona), Always, and the late Costa Titch.
As a plus-size dancer, Maphumulo says she pushed to be recognised for her skill rather than her size. “I wanted to be seen as just a dancer, and not ‘oh, plus-size dancer’ or ‘at least she can move’,” she says.
Community and advice for aspiring dancers
Maphumulo credits her online following – which she says has connected her with international dancers, including a lead dancer in Beyoncé’s troupe – with playing a real role in her growth, alongside her family’s early encouragement.
Her advice for aspiring dancers centres on clarity of purpose before anything else: know your “why”, set goals, and then build the self-belief to withstand setbacks.
“Great things require character development. Work hard, be intentional, and last but not least, work on your craft… so much so that you stand out. It’s not easy, but it’s possible, and you are possible.”
