By Khaya Ndaba
Soweto’s Finest weren’t always one of the largest dance groups in South Africa.
There was a time when all they had was their passion for dance, their willingness to work hard and a burning desire to claw their way up the rankings and to make a name for themselves in the competitive dance scene.
Established in the early 2000s during the first major dance boom in the country, Soweto’s Finest quickly became one of the hottest dance groups on the scene.
Today, the group is run by founding members Njabulo Mahlaba, Nkululeko Nyembe, Mpho Rapote, and Thomas Chauke, who are all in their 30s.
In an interview with Scrolla.Africa, Njabulo Mahlaba said in the township, you either played soccer or you danced.
“That’s all we knew,” said Njabgulo.
“So I decided to go into dance as my pastime. I was in my mid-late teens and dance was a big thing.”
Despite stiff competition on the local dance scene Soweto’s Finest grew and learnt and emerged as one of the best and largest groups to compete in dance competitions.
They established their own dance festival, the Soweto Dance Festival, which has been going strong since 2014.
Their success on the competitive scene earned them a great reputation and many fans whenever they performed.
With all the excitement and attention, they decided to open their first dance studio at Southgate Mall where they could teach other people about dancing.
“We wanted to create a dance hub where kids and adults could come to learn how to dance and create opportunities that were not there for us while we were growing up,” said Njabula.
Their biggest achievements so far include being part of the choreography team of the World Cup closing ceremony in 2010 and a European tour across France from 2013-2017.
They have danced for Makhadzi, been part of the “Dance Yo Dumo” dance challenge on SABC1, and were the choreographers for the late Costa Titch for his live performances.
Soweto’s Finest is currently preparing for a June 16 youth month event set to be hosted at Newtown’s Old Train Station.
They also have major plans for the next three years, planning to open dance studios in every township in Gauteng and then expanding their operation into other provinces.
Pictured above: Soweto’s Finest
Image source: Supplied
