Gregory Maqoma celebrates World Read Aloud Day with learners
The KPS community hosts a choreographer and arts advocate as its special guest reader for World Read Aloud Day.
Gregory Maqoma brings the same creative flair to his storytelling as he does to the dance work that has earned him respect on stages all over the world.
The Kyalami Preparatory School (KPS) community was lucky to host the choreographer and arts advocate as its special guest reader for the World Read Aloud Day festivities on February 7.
The globe-trotting dance artist invited listeners on a journey back in time, to the start of his career through his reading of his autobiographical children’s picture book, The Joy Dancer.
Grade 7 learner, Chinemeze Abanno, a creative writing club member at KPS, said she had enjoyed learning more about Maqoma’s work and what drives him to do it.
“He was such a happy, funny person. I found his thoughts about ancestors inspiring. I found that interesting because not a lot of people think like that. Not a lot of people think about how grateful they are to people from long ago for what’s happening in the present,” said Abanno.
“He was also very quick on his feet when answering questions and he was very open to speaking to children. He said he is currently writing a book that is coming out soon for middle-grade readers.”
Njeri Mbuthia, a Grade 4 learner, said listening to Maqoma made her feel ‘like I can do anything’.
“It was interesting that he tried, and he got to do what he wanted to do. Most people don’t become what they want to be. But he did,” said Mbuthia.
The school principal, David Hala, said that he enjoyed chatting to Maqoma about his work, especially his advocacy and outreach programmes to make dance and other art forms more accessible to newer generations.
“He inspires me. He’s achieved so much and yet he remains so humble; and so willing to help others. And it just shines through in the way that he speaks,” said Hala.
Maqoma’s visit was coordinated by children’s literacy champion and entrepreneur Khumo Tapfumaneyi. Tapfumaneyi runs Ethnikids, an online bookstore that prides itself on connecting children with multicultural stories in several languages. She worked with KPS media specialist, Siphiliselwe Makhanya.
“Last year, Khumo’s team did a brilliant job arranging for singer Sho Majozi to celebrate World Read Aloud Day with us to read Shoma and the Stars,” said Makhanya.
“This year, I asked Khumo for suggestions again, and she convinced another cultural icon to give us the gift of his story and his time. He is a born storyteller. It was a beautiful experience; we were hanging on his every word.”
Related article: World Read Aloud Day: Get the story here and pledge to read aloud
