Our Trainees
It’s an honour to work with our talented and dedicated dancers.
Together, under the inspirational guidance of our award-winning choreographer Sbonakaliso Ndaba, we have established a creative and distinguished Academy.
2017: Senior Trainees

Bulelani George
I live in Makhaza in Khayelitsha, I am 22 and I live with both parents and my sister and brother.
I love dancing, that’s how I express my feelings. My soul talks through my body. I like to work together with others and to communicate so we can talk as one people. I like to create something which gives people surprise and magic.

Mthetheteli Diakavu
I am also known as Lolly and am 22 years old.
I can say dance is my born ability and it works through my body and soul.
Dance is not a job.
In me, it is a calling.

Lusindiso Dibela
I live in Makhaza in Khayelitsha, I am 22 and I live with both parents and my sister and brother.
I love dancing, that’s how I express my feelings. My soul talks through my body. I like to work together with others and to communicate so we can talk as one people. I like to create something which gives people surprise and magic.

Sonwabile Mhlonyane
I am 25 years old and passed matric in 2011. I am a musician. I love dance and I love music, it’s what I get up for every day.
One day I will be a well known professional dancer. I want to achieve this not only for myself but for my community. I want to show them that anything is possible.
I am living my dream. Now I can be someone that others can look up to.

Lubabalo Pupu
I am 23 years old and I’m a traveller on this journey with no destination. I use dance as a tool of communication to express emotions and to transform society to see dance as a career. I dance to bring out the inner person, inspire and to educate.
When I dance I speak the unspoken language that only the body can tell.

Mesuli Nale
I am 21 years old. I am kind and talkative. I really love Arts, it’s my “Bornability”.
My life now, after many hardships, is growing and growing. Every day I leave my training with a smile on my face – EVERY day!
2017: 3rd Year Trainees

Noxolo Magadla
I live in Makhaza in Khayelitsha and I am 21 years old. I am a dancer at Indoni Dance Arts and Leadership Academy. I lover to draw and I’m good at it. I love people and I love to laugh.
My dream is to become a professional dancer and a dance teacher. I want to inspire the whole country to grow at their own things, in the way I have been inspired.

Mbulelo Tenza Mzazi
This is a good time and in this project I have put my full focus into my training and by working with Indoni we are one family.
I am 24 years old. Through dancing and performing, I get what i have been longing for. I am proud to say that I am with my life where i want to be.
2017: 2nd Year Trainees

Amanda Guma
What I love about dance is that I get to minister and touch a lot of people.
My dream is to one day take the skills I am acquiring, to young people where there is little hope in their lives and help them to have a sense of ability when they perform to people.

Litha Makanda
I am 21 years old and been training as a dancer for eight months.
When I perform, I always want to to share my heart, my pain, my story, my joy, my everything. That is how I communicate with my audience.

Monwabisi Bence
I am 20 years old. I started dancing at school. My other passion is to be a rapper.
I wish to use my skills to bring change and positivity to others, so that they can change their lives to have positive minds and actions.

Sandisile Madama
I was born in Namibia, and I am 22 years old. My dream is to be a performer and to travel the world, sharing the love of what I am doing across the world.
I work everyday, despite my difficulties, because I know that I can do this. I was born for a reason.

Khanyisa-James
What I love about dance is that I get to minister and touch a lot of people.
My dream is to one day take the skills I am acquiring, to young people where there is little hope in their lives and help them to have a sense of ability when they perform to people.

Ndimphiwe 'Mitchell' Makhatene
I am 21 years old. I have a dream to become a top dancer, worldwide. I have had to convince my family of this dream, but now they have seen me perform, they are supporting me.
I know I can do it.

Sinawo Ngceni
I grew up in Khayelitsha and I am 19 years old. I fell in love with dance in high school.
Even though my real goal is to be a physiotherapist, I am learning so many skills through dance and performance, that I am sure I will get where I want to be.

Zithulele Mgoqi
I am 21 years old staying in Khayelitsha Makhaza.
Dance is my passion and it has become one of the art forms that I love because it heals my spirit.
My late brother used to say dance is not a career but a calling.

Olwethu Sotiya
I live in Gugulethu. I am 21 years old. I have had many challenges to overcome, and I am still working with them every day.
Dance helps me overcome the pain and the difficulties, and to help me find myself.

Sinazo Mxeli
I am 19 years old and live in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. I have a passion for both dancing and accounting, and hope to do both of these things in my life.
I have had opportunities that I never even dreamt of, in this path of dancing. I am working hard as a trainee dancer to prove that Art as a career can be more than just fame.
I want to touch people’s souls. To be an example to my fellow youth through my belief in dancing and following my dream.
2017: 1st Year Trainees

Yonela Ncence
I’m 23 years old staying in Khayelitsha.
I dance to equip myself with skills, so that when I open my dance company one day, I know how to do things.

Vuyolwethu Mdluli
I’m a 21-year old staying in Khayelitsha Makhaza.
I am a first-year student at Indoni Dance Arts and Leadership Academy.

Wanie Johannes
I’m 25 years old from Worcester.
I dance because it is part of my lifestyle and when I dance I feel free; it feels like I can do everything.

Sesethu Liwana
I am 20 years old living in Gugulethu also a student at Indoni,
I dance because I want to address what we humans face daily.

Aviwe Dulani
I’m 21 and living at Old Crossroad, the youngest daughter from 5 kids.
I am a young passionate dancer who loves dancing and learning more daily.
I believe that with hard work, discipline and determination, nothing is impossible.

Chumande Ngqakotye
I am a 23-year old staying in Kraaifontain.
I dance to tell my people’s stories in the language that speaks to them.

Elihle Toni
I am a 21 year old student staying at Site C Khayelitsha,
I am dancing because art is my first love and it gives me freedom to express myself.
I want to touch people’s souls. To be an example to my fellow youth through my belief in dancing and following my dream.
Yanga Jadezweni (Sadly passed away 2016)
I love music the most. I am 20 years old. For my career I want to be a choreographer. I want to bring the challenges I see in our community and show them on stage as dance.
We are all here for a reason. Through my learning, I continue to find my reason, to find myself. And to share my gifts with others.

The Yanga Jadezweni Special Arts Award for a deserving student each year will be awarded in memory of our cherished fellow dancer and member of the Indoni family.