Pirouetting his way to stardom
Local ballet dancer closer to his dream after joining Aspirant programme.
It all started when he was about eight years old, and the dance bug bit Sibusiso Mtsweni (24). Since then, his love for dance, especially ballet, has continued to grow.
A Castleview resident since 2012, Sibusiso is an Aspirant with Joburg Ballet.
Aspirants are taken into a one-year programme which includes lessons, training and the opportunity to work and perform on stage with the company.
The programme offers young dancers the opportunity to see if they have what it takes to work full-time with a professional dance company.
After they have successfully completed the one-year programme, they may be offered a contract with Joburg Ballet, to join the corps de ballet, which is the entry-level group of dancers in any professional ballet company.
Growing up in Vezubuhle, Kwamhlanga in Mpumalanga, Sibusiso developed a love of dance when family friend Aubrey Mahlangu brought a Latin American and ballroom dance vinyl over to the house and practised his dance moves religiously on Sibusiso’s family’s stoep.
“Not every family had turntables at that time and our stoep was about 40cm in height, resembling a mini-stage,” said Sibusiso.
“He was part of a local group that met three times a week in an abandoned building to practise.
“Because I wasn’t given permission by my father to join the group I started studying Aubrey’s moves whenever he was around and would practise the steps in private.”
Sibusiso slowly began to master some of the dances and became quite confident in them.
His love for ballet bloomed after he saw a dance movie called Centre Stage.
“I was fascinated by the way the dancers moved across the floor and from that moment I knew I wanted to be a professional ballet dancer,” Sibusiso said.
“Classical ballet is universal and I want to be one of the best dancers in the world.
“In ballet, we aim for perfection and although perfection is unattainable, we still work towards it in the studio every single day.
“Ballet dancers exude a graceful yet strong aura.”
Sibusiso said living in a poverty-stricken area where there were no ballet classes did not aid his dream to dance.
However, when he moved to Germiston his aspirations were renewed when he found ballet classes were offered at Diana Moore Dance World.
“I was attending a business college in the Germiston CBD and to afford ballet classes I would walk home and save my transport money to pay for ballet classes.
“I joined the Grade 3 Cecchetti class of Mandy Reynolds and attended class with ten- to 12-year olds – bear in mind that I was 21 at the time,” Sibusiso said.
After getting a position at a property management company in 2014 Sibusiso was able to afford his ballet class fees more easily, and started taking extra classes at Dance Core Studios, owned by Mandy Reynolds and Karen Symons.
Sibusiso applied for the Joburg Ballet Aspirant programme and was successful.
“I’m really enjoying the programme and I am committed to it,” Sibusiso said.
“I started in January and I admit I’ve had days when I’ve gone home disappointed in myself, only to wake up the next morning ready for redemption.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity and I hope to be part of the professional Joburg Ballet company one day.”
Sibusiso works eight hours a day from Monday to Friday.
The Aspirants have three technical training classes a week, a variation class and a dance theory class.
They also rehearse with the company and take part in productions.
Sibusiso will be performing on stage with the Joburg Ballet during the season of La Traviata – The Ballet, which runs from March 31 to April 9 at the Joburg Theatre.
If you would like to offer sponsorship to Sibusiso or Joburg Ballet’s development school programme, email Kabelo Modiga on kabelo@joburgballet.com
Sibusiso has the following advice for young dancers, “Invest in your craft and be the best version of yourself that you can be.”
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