Nicky belly dances her way to stage fame

Empangeni dance teacher Nicky White has successfully auditioned her way into a role in a top SA stage show.

But the route she took was far from the normal interview and tryout process – and involved shooting and submitting videos of herself belly dancing.

‘Last year in July I went up to Jo’burg for some belly dancing workshops, as well as to watch the beautiful production Happily Never After,’ says effervescent Nicky, owner of the Empangeni-based Mystic Moon Belly Dancing studio.

‘After the show I spoke with Senta Duffield of the Maya Dance Company in Durban and she made a comment about me auditioning for the Durban production. That got my mind going.

‘After I initially laughed and said I was not ready for something like that, when the auditions for Durban opened I took a huge leap out of my comfort zone and decided I would give it a try.

‘The audition process in itself was a huge learning curve as we had to submit a video of us doing a solo belly dance, as well as learn choreography from them with only a video of the dancer and no notes!

‘I was very surprised when I received the email to say I had made it into the cast – surprised, terrified and ecstatic,’ says the dazzling and popular Nicky, well known in local motor trade circles.

‘This Nova Nouveau Productions show is a whole lot bigger than our annual student showcase I am used to.

‘For the past three-and-a-half months I’ve been learning choreography via videos (with notes this time), and having to film myself by certain deadline dates to submit to the producers for feedback.

‘This has been a tremendous learning experience and has definitely made me challenge myself in ways I didn’t think I could – I am absolutely loving it!

‘I am extremely blessed to have incredible friends who are so supportive and most definitely my husband, who has been so patient and has picked up a lot of the slack with me being so busy.

‘I really do hope KZN supports this wonderful production, and that there will be an opportunity of participating in the next one.’

Described as ‘a twist on beloved fairy tales reimagined through the language of belly dance and world fusion dance, turning the stories you thought you knew, upside-down’, Happily Never After will be performed at 8pm on Friday, 1 February and Saturday, 2 February at the iZulu Theatre, Sibaya.

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