2024 Year in Review
Students at Dancescape in Zolani township.
As we reflect on the amazing successes of the South African dancers, schools, and programs Gugulethu Ballet Project supported in 2024, we want to thank you for the generous donations that make our work possible.
If you’d like to support Gugulethu Ballet Project’s work in 2025 and see some of the amazing young dancers we support perform live, join us March 2rd at Terra Gallery in San Francisco in a fundraising gala celebrating our 20th anniversary! Cocktails, a gourmet seated dinner, and live auction will be complemented by performances by GBP scholarship recipient Chuma Mathiso, SF Ballet Principal Dancer Jasmine Jimison, and the Grammy-Award winning South African band Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Aphiwe November signs his first professional contract with Cape Ballet Africa
After a year of intensive training with Houston Ballet’s year-round Professional Program, Aphiwe November accepted a contract as a professional dancer with Cape Ballet Africa in Cape Town!
Aphiwe began studying ballet at GBP partner school Dancescape, in Zolani township. GBP supported Aphiwe’s training with American Ballet Theatre, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Manhattan Youth Ballet, and Houston Ballet. We are so proud to see him make the leap to professional dancer.
Chuma Mathiso begins year-round study at Alonzo King LINES Ballet
Chuma Mathiso attended Alonzo King LINES Ballet summer intensive in San Francisco in July 2024. Impressed by his growth over the summer program, LINES school director Karah Abiog invited Chuma to return for their year-round pre-professional training program on full scholarship! Chuma started this September, with Gugulethu Ballet Project supporting his living costs.
Chuma began his training at Dancescape in Zolani. GBP previously supported one year of Chuma’s pre-professional training with Jazzart Dance Theatre.
Milisa Mathiso, Phelo Ngxukuma, and Thimna Ndwe enter their second year of Jazzart Dance Theatre’s pre-professional training program
Jazzart Trainees Milisa, Phelo, and Thimna are Dancescape alumni and past recipients of GBP’s support to study at Alonzo King LINES Ballet’s summer intensive in San Francisco. We’re proud to facilitate their transition from students to pre-professional dancers. GBP’s support helps with their housing, groceries, transportation, and dance supplies.
Kristine Elliott shares Gugulethu Ballet Project Syllabus
Working in relatively isolated communities, the teachers and students at GBP’s partner schools in South Africa have limited opportunities to learn and grow through exposure to new forms of teaching. To respond to this need, GBP director Kristine Elliott developed, filmed, and edited a video compilation of ballet class exercises performed by young women of color.
The syllabus creates a solid foundation of ballet technique and, crucially, is accessed from flash drive, which can be plugged into a phone or a tablet and does not require any internet or connectivity. Kristine shared the syllabus with our partner schools during her January 2024 visit.
Annual teaching trip to South Africa celebrates collaboration between communities
In January 2024, Kristine traveled to South Africa for four weeks with her long-time colleagues Nathan Bartman and Ciara Baldwin. The trio taught at Dancescape in Zolani and First Step Ballet in McGregor. Highlights included:
The second annual joint-performance with students from both schools performing original choreography by Nathan and Ciara accompanied live by the Zolani Youth Choir.
A bi-monthly exchange where students from Dancescape and First Step Ballet take class together. The students are exposed to new teachers and participate in a partnering class.
Adji Cissoko from Alonzo King LINES Ballet teaching a master class on Zoom to the young dancers of First Step in McGregor.
Thank you again for your support of Gugulethu Ballet Project! Your donations are crucial to making these young dancers’ dreams possible. We hope you’ll join us to celebrate our 20th Anniversary Gala on March 2nd.
Students from First Step in McGregor, Dancescape in Zolani, and Zolani Youth Choir smile after a successful performance. Kristine Elliott, Nathan Bartman, Ciara Baldwin, Mary Silver, Nqaba Mafilika bottom right.