BALLROOM dancers, Simphiwe Cele (29) and Kekeletso Makhetha (21), won gold at the national championships and are now preparing to compete overseas next year.

The pair clinched the title after wowing the judges with their elegant performance at the Federation of Dance Sport South Africa’s National Achievers & Championships 2023 in the North West.

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They were up against 10 other couples in the Adults division, each having to execute five set routines in one-and-a-half-minute intervals. “It’s an exciting feeling although there’s a lot of pressure to retain the title. This is our second opportunity to compete at the World Champs; the first was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. My dream has always been to represent my country,” said Cele.

His partnership with Makhetha, which began in 2019, involves mutual trust and intense training sessions, sometimes lasting up to 10 hours a day. He said, “You need to trust and support each other, on and off the dance floor, to ensure the partnership is there in order to put on our best performance.”

The KwaMakhutha resident’s talents extend beyond dance into singing, but it’s dance that serves as his guide to professionalism, respect and discipline. Looking ahead, he hopes to, one day, open his own dance studio, contributing to his community and supporting his family.

Seed of Hope, where he was among the initial children in the early 2000s, played a pivotal role in shaping his passion for dance, empowering him to pursue his dreams.

The non-profit organisation’s chairperson, Heather Liebenberg, said their vision is to restore communities through restored individuals. “Simphiwe has had a lot of struggles in his life which could have led him down a different path. However, dance gave him a purpose which he has fully embraced,” she said.

Cele added that it upsets him to see children and people he grew up with busy doing the wrong things. “The only way to grow and achieve your goals is if you focus and surround yourself with good people,” he said.

Those who would like to offer sponsorship to make his dreams a reality can call Simphiwe Cele on 062 940 4495 or WhatsApp on 082 696 6013.

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