Children of the inner city light up the stage

Over the past weekend, talented and hardworking children from the inner city of Johannesburg seized the opportunity to shine on stage at the Hillbrow Theatre.

Little Girl Lost, under the direction of Alta Krige, is the sixth flagship production from Mould Empower Serve (Mes) which involves children from the non-governmental Govermental Organisation’s youth enrichment programme.

Their ages range from six to 21.

Little Girl Lost is a modern take on the story of the prodigal son, following the life of a young girl in the heart of the big city.

A group of about 60 youngsters told her story through narration and dance, showcasing more than 20 dances of varying styles, from gumboot, to hip-hop and contemporary.

One of Melville’s very own, 22-year-old Anthony Jacobs, was one of the choreographers and dance coaches for the production.

Jacobs is a resident of Melville’s Echo House, a community offering vulnerable youth a home in communes across South Africa.

Last year, Jacobs was part of the ensemble, showing his tricks onstage. This year, however, he contributed from the wings.

He said that being a choreographer has been really challenging.

“Coaching is really tough on a person, but I am a person that likes to push himself to the max… as I learn, I can teach and as I teach, I can better the performance of our children and the way everything is done. It’s not easy, but it’s something that I love doing.”

According to Jacobs, being part of the Mes programme, and especially the musical, gave him the opportunity to focus on the better side of life and made him a better person.

“There’s a lot of love there. It’s very helpful towards children. It gave me the chance to shine as a dancer, and now it gives me the chance to shine as a choreographer.”

“The musical changes lives.”

Details: www.mes.org.za