A Steenberg dancer is making all the right moves since he lost his job in the heart of the pandemic.
Byron Benjamin, 25, says losing his job has opened up bigger doors for him, to the point where he now owns three dance studios in Cape Town.
This weekend his dancers will be putting on a show at the Masque Theatre in Muizenberg.
He teaches gymnastics, hip hop, contemporary dance and salsa, and his students range from six-year-olds all the way to pensioners.
Since founding Forte Wolfe Studio a year ago, Benjamin has led the adult dance crew for Team South Africa at the Hip Hop Unite World Championship in Agen, France.
His three dance studios are in Plumstead, Bergvliet and Steenberg.
Byron, who started dancing at 13 years old, says: “I worked in IT in 2020 and I was freelancing, teaching dance at dance schools or at church.
“I started the dance school in the middle of Covid with no funding and no prospects. I just lost my job and had to let go of my car and needed a way to support myself while waiting for responses from different job applications.
“My mentor and I made a business plan and I pursued it relentlessly.
“Our students come from Lavender Hill, Capricorn, Diep River, Plumstead, Bergvliet, Muizenberg, Steenberg, Retreat and more.
“It’s a very diverse group of people and we prioritise creating safe spaces for our dancers.”
He teaches 40 students every week.
The group will have their first show called The Dream Continues, on Saturday at the Masque Theatre in Muizenberg.
The show starts at 7pm and tickets cost R100 via Quicket, or call 064 420 9836.