Our Story – the Cape Cultural Collective celebrates 18 Years!
Our Story – the Cape Cultural Collective celebrates 18 Years!
The Cape Cultural Collective (CCC) celebrates 18 years as a vital force in South Africa’s arts scene. Founded to unite and empower local artists, the CCC has fostered a vibrant community that transcends cultural divides. For nearly two decades, it has provided a crucial platform for musicians, poets, visual artists, and performers to collaborate and showcase their work.
This milestone anniversary reflects a lasting legacy of preserving heritage, igniting creative expression, and building bridges through the powerful, universal language of art, ensuring the region’s diverse cultural heartbeat continues to thrive.
Faces of the CCC: Project Facilitator
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.
News
Our Story – the Cape Cultural Collective celebrates 18 Years!
Our Story – the Cape Cultural Collective celebrates 18 Years!
The Cape Cultural Collective (CCC) celebrates 18 years as a vital force in South Africa’s arts scene. Founded to unite and empower local artists, the CCC has fostered a vibrant community that transcends cultural divides. For nearly two decades, it has provided a crucial platform for musicians, poets, visual artists, and performers to collaborate and showcase their work.
This milestone anniversary reflects a lasting legacy of preserving heritage, igniting creative expression, and building bridges through the powerful, universal language of art, ensuring the region’s diverse cultural heartbeat continues to thrive.
Faces of the CCC: Project Facilitator
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.
News
Faces of CCC – Project Volunteer
Faces of the CCC: Project Volunteer
Water soothes her, deep house fuels her, and children’s growth inspires her. Asiphe Galada is a bubbly, approachable volunteer brings radiant energy to the Cape Cultural Collective’s Children’s Arts Group. While she had initially intended to pursue studies in economics, the Xolani Primary School teacher found her calling during orientation week at Rhodes University and decided to pursue a career as an educator instead. She shares some insights into the person behind the friendly face seen at the sessions at Bridgeville Primary School on Saturday mornings.
Q & A
1. Describe yourself in three words.
Bubbly, friendly and approachable
2.Tell us about your journey into working with young people.
I enjoy every moment of working with the, especially being able to help them with behavioural changes. I love learning about different children’s way of life and seeing them teach each other about their cultures.
3. Which superpower would you like to channel, even just for a day?
I would like to be able to control the child’s mind. I feel like some children cannot mentally remove themselves from poverty and it affects their performance, even though they are naturally bright.
4. What song best describes your personality?
ROCK3T (Rocket) by Mi Casa. But any deep house music will do…
5. What’s the most memorable project you’ve been a part of?
In the past, I used a higher methodology approach to teaching but soon learned that some learners in our community never attended preschool or even Grade R. With the help of various workshops, I learned to take a more elemental approach. Understanding and knowing my learners’ backgrounds helps me know how to teach them. I would say that the Children’s Arts Group has by far been the most memorable project I’ve been a part of.
6. How do you get inspired when you feel stuck creatively?
I go to a place with water. Water calms me down and makes me think out of the box.
7. What’s one thing you wish more people knew about CCC?
The CCC is about more than the arts. They bring people of different cultures together and help you to learn more about other cultures and their way of doing things.
8. What’s one piece of advice you received as a young person that still guides you?
Fake it till you make it. A mentor of mine said that even on bad days you have to fake a smile or energy until it naturally comes to you.
Faces of CCC – Project Volunteer
Faces of the CCC: Project Volunteer
Water soothes her, deep house fuels her, and children’s growth inspires her. Asiphe Galada is a bubbly, approachable volunteer brings radiant energy to the Cape Cultural Collective’s Children’s Arts Group. While she had initially intended to pursue studies in economics, the Xolani Primary School teacher found her calling during orientation week at Rhodes University and decided to pursue a career as an educator instead. She shares some insights into the person behind the friendly face seen at the sessions at Bridgeville Primary School on Saturday mornings.
Q & A
1. Describe yourself in three words.
Bubbly, friendly and approachable
2.Tell us about your journey into working with young people.
I enjoy every moment of working with the, especially being able to help them with behavioural changes. I love learning about different children’s way of life and seeing them teach each other about their cultures.
3. Which superpower would you like to channel, even just for a day?
I would like to be able to control the child’s mind. I feel like some children cannot mentally remove themselves from poverty and it affects their performance, even though they are naturally bright.
4. What song best describes your personality?
ROCK3T (Rocket) by Mi Casa. But any deep house music will do…
5. What’s the most memorable project you’ve been a part of?
In the past, I used a higher methodology approach to teaching but soon learned that some learners in our community never attended preschool or even Grade R. With the help of various workshops, I learned to take a more elemental approach. Understanding and knowing my learners’ backgrounds helps me know how to teach them. I would say that the Children’s Arts Group has by far been the most memorable project I’ve been a part of.
6. How do you get inspired when you feel stuck creatively?
I go to a place with water. Water calms me down and makes me think out of the box.
7. What’s one thing you wish more people knew about CCC?
The CCC is about more than the arts. They bring people of different cultures together and help you to learn more about other cultures and their way of doing things.
8. What’s one piece of advice you received as a young person that still guides you?
Fake it till you make it. A mentor of mine said that even on bad days you have to fake a smile or energy until it naturally comes to you.