Cape Town - Teaching isn't just a career for Thabisa Sagela of Philippi who spreads her skills outside the classroom to uplift the underprivileged children in the townships on weekends.
During the week she does her normal job as a Creative Arts teacher and on Saturday she spends time equipping children at the Vukuhambe Community Hall in Gugulethu, keeping them away from the streets and peer pressure.
Her dance crew is made up of 34 members aged nine to 21, from Philippi, Langa, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Dunoon, Malmesbury and Khayelitsha.
She exposes them to different genres with key focus on African contemporary dance and ballet.
Anga Sokhanyile, 9, from Thembani in Khayelitsha said, “I appreciate the lessons so much, they blow my mind out, calms me down and taught me discipline”.
“Since I started with them I am always looking forward to my weekends knowing I am going to meet a group of amazing people sharing the same passion as mine. I just love dancing.”
Thabiso Sikakele, 21, from Mountclair said, “I have been part of it for years and it has shaped me to the person that I am today”.
“It saved me from the influence of peer pressure and exposed me to bigger opportunities and inspired me to dream big.
“We have participated in theatres and international competitions, boosting our confidence.
“Indeed, art has a potential to build ones character and reduce the number of youths landing into trouble in communities.”
Sagela said they were always looking for opportunity to inspire and promote local talent.
“This year we presented our dance piece titled The Spaces at the Dance and Child international 2022 Virtual Conference (DaCi) and also took part in dance workshops that were presented by dance teachers from different countries such as Australia, Canada, Croatia, the Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Slovenia, South Africa, Uganda, and USA.
“Every year we enter our learners into different dance performances, this year in August, our dancers performed in the Artscape School Festival, out of the schools participated in the festival, and we one of the 15 schools that were selected to perform in the Artscape Gala Event where we received a certificate.
“Our children are coming from different backgrounds, every day they are facing crime, poverty, and GBV abuse.
“We use dance to educate them more about these social issues.
“When they in our space, we want them to be able to speak their mind, to know what it is to be alive, to get an opportunity to express themselves, to deal with their emotions and process their emotions in a safe space and creative space.
“Parents need to understand that their children are not only learning dance for entertainment, dance will help them to improve their confidence and they will become well rounded citizens,” said Sagela.
The mother of two spares two hours doing the charity work from 2pm on Saturdays and is working towards their talent show taking place in November.