A self-professed natural-born leader, Anele Xhali is an experienced dancer, choreographer, commercial model, dance coach and mentor. He has been training peers and younger aspiring artists since he was in primary school. The Capetonian facilitates the dance segment of the Cape Cultural Collective’s Children’s Arts Group sessions at Bridgeville Primary School on Saturday mornings.
Q&A
1. Describe yourself in three words.
Perfectionist, kind, driven
2. If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be and why?
I wish I had the ability to magically change people’s perspectives from negative to positive, and to help them to be more goal-driven. Many learners and young people I meet have a negative outlook on life, maybe because of their home environment or what they see in the streets, so I wish I could have a superpower that would allow them to see the world differently.
3. What song best describes your personality?
My Power – by Beyoncé. I love this song because I know that I am powerful. I am able to do most things, and when I try something I usually don’t rest until I get it right.
4. What’s the most memorable performance or project you’ve been part of?
A career highlight has definitely been when I was able to travel to China and perform there. There were only about six of us.
5. How do you get inspired when you feel stuck creatively?
I like to play my own music, meditate, and also watch draw inspiration from videos from other performers to boost my creativity. I also reach out to people who have experience in the industry.
6. How do you think the arts can bring people together?
The arts is a universal language that transcends barriers. Dance is especially relatable as we can speak different languages and don’t even need to be able to hear to share in the experience. If we want to share a story that is universally understood, we can do so through art.
7. What’s one thing you wish more people knew about CCC?
The collective brings people from different religions, communities and backgrounds together and enables them to unite through art. It creates a combined space for beautiful art to be made. The learners in our Children’s Arts Group have become like brothers and sisters, even though they are from different areas and would maybe otherwise not have befriended each other.
8. What’s your best advice for shy children in the group?
I would try to find a balance between putting them at ease and then also empowering them with tasks that can challenge them. I think it’s also good to pair shy children with bubbly peers so they can learn from each other.
9. What’s one piece of advice you received as a young person that still guides you?
My mentor taught me to always be polite and to try and be understanding and humble. She taught me to try and keep in mind that some people may act a certain way because of circumstances that I am not aware of.