By Buziwe Nocuze
The Gugulethu United We Stand Dancers – the Western Cape winners of the Amapiano Dance Championship 2024 – are excited about their win and look forward to competing in the national finals in Gauteng.
Judy Mkoko Ndika, known as DJ Makoti, started the group in Gugulethu in 2010 with 15 members while she was still at school.
“I started it after noticing that young people were involved in gangs and falling pregnant as teenagers, with some dropping out of school,” Ndika said. “We now have 45 members, male and female.”
Ndika sent the group’s “hot videos” to the competition organisers.
“Then we waited to see if we would make it,” said Ndika.
“We started practising even though we didn’t know that we were going to be selected, and that helped because on getting the good news of being selected, we were ready. We had faith.
“We will be representing the Western Cape soon at the national finals, and we will go all out to bring home the R50,000 grand prize. This is not just about the competition and dancing, but bringing change in the community,” Ndika said.
The Gugulethu United We Stand Dancers also gives young people who have never been outside Cape Town the chance to see other places.
“Our dancers have been to Sweden, where they performed for Queen Silvia and Princess Sofia,” said Ndika.
“The group was also featured in the Netflix series Jiva. I am proud of them and the commitment they are showing.”
Zikhona Papiyana, a 23-year-old dancer, joined the group at the beginning of last year and said she has learned so much from it in a short time.
“We are all happy about being the champions of the competition, as it has given us a chance to go show our talent in Gauteng,” said Papiyana.
“It has uplifted me to the extent of knowing what I can achieve. We are all grateful to Ndika for doing this for us.”
Pictured above: The Gugulethu United We Stand Dancers won the Western Cape Amapiano Dance Championship 2024 at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town.
Source: Supplied
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