SELBORNE College’s Mbasa Soga, 18, danced, acted and sang his way to a R60000 bursary at the national Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) scholarships competition at the University of Johannesburg Arts Centre.
Following his Monday exploits, the Selborne College performing arts star was back at his school desk yesterday studying maths, physics and biology ahead of his looming matric finals.
Soga and Usisipho Nteyi of Nelson Mandela Bay were among 180 young performers nationally who auditioned for the fast-growing triple threat (dancing, acting and singing) competition, which is supported by the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation and Nedbank Arts Affinity.
No fewer than 700 shows were scoped in a country-wide talent search ahead of the auditions.
The Eastern Cape pair made it to the top six and, after a gruelling week of rehearsals run by top arts professionals, had to fight it out for the top three slots and a total prize money of R315000.
Katlego Nche of the Mayibuye Arts Centre in Kimberley came first, winning a bursary of R150000, while Nteyi’s second prize was a R105000 bursary.
All three will receive practical support beyond their studies, including representation by SA’s top talent agency Talent Etc.
The judges were Talent Etc manager Jennis Williamson, television personality Nolo Phiri, dance guru Gregory Maqoma, musician and former SA Idols finalist Bianca Le Grange and arts and business consultant Trish Downing.
Soga intends spending his bursary on studying dance at the University of Cape Town next year.
He said he sang Tom Lehrer’s Poisoning Pidgeons in the Park, danced a “contemporary ballet vibe (style)” to Björk’s poetic song So Broken, and performed a monologue from Naomi Wallace’s play The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek.
His mom Patience and sister Lerato, 31, were in the audience. “They cried,” he said.
His dad, Sibabalwe, is a government engineer, but could not be there.
But Mbasa said: “He wanted to be a tap dancer. He took me to my first dance class, which was tap, at Buffalo City College.
“All the girls were so excited to have a boy in the class that they ambushed me.
“I want more people from East London to audition,” he said.
Video: Top bursary for Selborne pupil
Following his Monday exploits, the Selborne College performing arts star was back at his school desk yesterday studying maths, physics and biology ahead of his looming matric finals.
Soga and Usisipho Nteyi of Nelson Mandela Bay were among 180 young performers nationally who auditioned for the fast-growing triple threat (dancing, acting and singing) competition, which is supported by the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation and Nedbank Arts Affinity.
No fewer than 700 shows were scoped in a country-wide talent search ahead of the auditions.
The Eastern Cape pair made it to the top six and, after a gruelling week of rehearsals run by top arts professionals, had to fight it out for the top three slots and a total prize money of R315000.
Katlego Nche of the Mayibuye Arts Centre in Kimberley came first, winning a bursary of R150000, while Nteyi’s second prize was a R105000 bursary.
All three will receive practical support beyond their studies, including representation by SA’s top talent agency Talent Etc.
The judges were Talent Etc manager Jennis Williamson, television personality Nolo Phiri, dance guru Gregory Maqoma, musician and former SA Idols finalist Bianca Le Grange and arts and business consultant Trish Downing.
Soga intends spending his bursary on studying dance at the University of Cape Town next year.
He said he sang Tom Lehrer’s Poisoning Pidgeons in the Park, danced a “contemporary ballet vibe (style)” to Björk’s poetic song So Broken, and performed a monologue from Naomi Wallace’s play The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek.
His mom Patience and sister Lerato, 31, were in the audience. “They cried,” he said.
His dad, Sibabalwe, is a government engineer, but could not be there.
But Mbasa said: “He wanted to be a tap dancer. He took me to my first dance class, which was tap, at Buffalo City College.
“All the girls were so excited to have a boy in the class that they ambushed me.
“I want more people from East London to audition,” he said.
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