Mamela Nyamza

Mamela Nyamza is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, curator, director and activist in South Africa. She is trained in a variety of styles of dance including ballet, modern dance, African dance, the Horton technique, Spanish dance, jazz, movement and mime, flying low technique, release technique, gumboot dance and Butoh. Her style of dance and choreography blends aspects of traditional and contemporary dances. Quotes I have been hatching all my life MAMELA NYAMZA: “I HAVE BEEN HATCHING MY ENTIRE LIFE” 11 October 2024 I come from a background of ballet that does not accept me as a black dancer In the discipline of dance itself, dancers are always put down, and I have fought that throughout my career Don’t overdo what you are doing. Calm down, don’t over perform it, don’t perform for me, you know. Be yourself. When you go inside yourself, anything can happen INTERVIEW WITH MAMELA NYAMZA May 15 Questioning a structure that didn’t accept me made me stronger In Africa, anyone can dance, en pointe or not Interview with Mamela Nyamza | 2025 I’m telling stories with my body and that is what inspired me because I wanted to reflect what was happening around me I’ve turned all of those tools of oppression into beauty and art. My heart wanted to be at home with the art It might look like “Wow, she’s living it,” but it’s actually quite hard, to be honest Sometimes it’s good to not have everybody like the work because that is what a work of art is Some will love it, some will hate it, some will be like, “hmm.” It’s art I think I’m at that stage where I don’t give a hoot about anything I do it because if I don’t do it, someone else will These women are building a rock to a trophy but this rock could be a woman to Even though we are made unable, we are not unable Even though I am a dancer, I know my mind goes beyond a dancer when I create it’s good to try and to strive because at some point you will figure out what you want Failing is good because you get better at it by doing it I’m proud of where I come from and I’m proud of all the obstacles that have been in my way to get where I am because without them, I would never have created what I have created today I feel like I had to knock on every door for it to be opened. To come here was a march. I’ve been in constant fights all my life A CONVERSATION WITH MAMELA NYAMZA 8 October 2017 External links Category:Dancers from South Africa Category:Choreographers Category:Women activists from South Africa Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Performance artists