DANCE OUTREACH
Rhythm of Hope OutreachDreams of seeing a young generation of youths, especially girls, from various disadvantaged and impoverished backgrounds, rise up as healthy individuals with vision, confidence and compassion.
Our Story
Highlist since 2012
Having the program grow from 6 to 80 students (2012-2021)
Participation and achievement in International Cecchetti & AIDT Exams (2015-2018)
Collaboration with the Youth Dance Company of Tshwane through our Bursary Student program (2020- present) and participating in some of their productions in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
Hosting 4 of our own Annual Productions in collaboration with our Sister studio Rhythm of Hope Dance since 2017.
Various Dance Ministry Performances in collaboration with Moreletapark Gemeente, Doxa Deo Brooklyn and -Parkview
Our Dance Dream Holiday Workshop, our first ever fundraiser and exposure for our students to masterclasses with some of SA’s best dance instructors and industry professionals
BackaBursary
Portia Tabola
Mihle Mapolisa
Elsie Sita
Evelyn Munyeki
Ayanda Ngadla
What we do
How we do it
Weekly Dance Classes to Disadvantaged Children & Youths
Dance & Education Bursaries to Talented Youths
Intentional Identity Curriculum Training & Term-End Events
Dance & Ministry Opportunities like Exams, Annual Performances, Workshops & Outreaches
What we do
Core-Values
Hope
Empowerment
Ministry
Leadership
Excellence
Family
What we do
Our Mission
ROHO aims to scout and identify places in which disadvantaged children & youths have already been gathered within certain structures (like schools or orphanages) which can accommodate the regular teaching of dance classes. ROHO will then create and/or utilise it’s structures to place trained dance teachers within that organisation on a regular basis to love, inspire and teach these youths our intentional identity curriculum through dance-forms appropriate to their context. ROHO will also aim to create exam- and performance opportunities for these youths, so their training and experience will allow talented youths with legitimate dance-related opportunities for their futures.
What we do
Our Vision
Rhythm of Hope Outreach (ROHO) dreams of seeing a young generation of youths, especially girls, from various disadvantaged and impoverished backgrounds, rise up as healthy individuals with vision, confidence and compassion, willing to use their unique gifts as instruments to bless and make a difference in their communities. We aim to use the tool & journey of dance to help them develop the skills necessary for this, in order to help them break cycles of disadvantage to pursue new dreams of becoming a blessing to others.
Annual Calendar Highlights
- January: YDCT Company Auditions
- March: ‘Belonging’ Term-End Event
- May: Informal Mock Exams
- June: ‘Worth’ Term-End Event
- July: Dance Dream Holiday Workshop
- September: Formal Cecchetti Exam Sessions/‘Competence’ Term End
- November: Annual Year End Production with Rhythm of Hope Dance
Future Hopes & Dreams
- To see some of the dancers/interns in our program lead/teach one day, or dance professionally and ‘give back’ with this gift they have received.
- To take what we’ve learned in our 9 years experience at Pure Hope School and implement similar initiatives in orphanages, disadvantaged schools in South Africa.
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start Spring with a beautiful gift that also uplifts the community
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sponsor a dancer’s year
Enable one student at ROHO’s dance education on a monthly basis, by donating the monthly/ annual cost on their behalf.
– Primary School Branches R2750 per student per year or R230 per month.
– Pro-Arte Bursary Student: R100 000 per student per year or R8300 per month.
You can EFT or click on the Donate button below and complete the steps.
Rhythm of Hope Outreach
FNB Cheque Account:
62793897003
Branch: 250655
A Closer Look
Why Dance Outreach?
PHYSICAL BENEFITS:
Children acquire an awareness of their body and its functioning. They learn to respect their ‘God-given instrument’. Dance improves cardiovascular strength, overall fitness, flexibility, good posture, coordination and proprioception.
INTELLECTUAL BENEFITS:
Ballet and dance have been proven to improve memory, musicality, imagination and creativity by linking movement combinations and stories with music.
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS:
Regular ballet classes give an emotional outlet and a healthy way to cope with stress. Besides the discipline, self-confidence and respect they gain through their personal improvement, the group classes also help develop their social skills.
We value the long-term mentoring relationships we can build with these children to intentionally instil in them ‘I AM’ values based on Biblical principals. This is achieved through the classes so that they can establish a firm personal identity for example, “I am strong, beautiful, blessed, flexible, brave, kind, humble, capable”, etc.
What we do
Spotlight Stories
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory”.
1 Samuel 2:8 NKJV
When our girls dance I see the fulfilment of this picture before my eyes. The dance lifts them out of the dust and lets them share in God’s glory. I work with all the children in Pure Hope Primary and I can really see the difference this dance outreach makes in these girls’ sense of value for life and for themselves.
I can recognise that the regular dance classes help these girls develop discipline and perseverance Their self-esteem has received a boost because it makes them feel special. It empowers them because, when they dance and perform, no one can see that they come from difficult circumstances. It also opens them up to a world of opportunity they would never have had access to and gives them hope for the future. The classes also expose them to great role models in the ballet teachers. This inspires the children to want to make a difference too. We also receive wonderful feedback from their parents. They feel so proud of what their children are achieving and are so thankful for it.
MATURITY
Portia is 16 and has been dancing with us since 2013. When she first started dancing she had a hard time learning and growing from the corrections, and would sulk and cry in every class. She also struggled to accept when other’s received the prizes or acknowledgement she yearned for. However, over the years it has been so exciting to see her character and identity mature to the point where she encourages others easily, takes corrections graciously and applies them with discipline. She is dreams of going into family law and is thankful for the rigorous discipline and perseverance dance has taught her, as these will help on the rigorous academic journey to get there.
OPPORTUNITY
Ayanda is 14 and has been dancing with us since 2014. Her father died when she was very young and her mom is a pre-school assistant teacher. Ayanda is an exceptionally talented dancer who loves every moment of every single class. She has received distinctions in all her international ballet exams, is a bursary student at YDCT and is well on her way to dance professionally if she keeps up this passion and momentum. She would never have had this career opportunity if it were not for this dance outreach program.
RESILIENCE
Elsie is 14 and has been dancing with us since 2014. Initially she always tried to draw attention to herself by showing up at class with some sort of ‘illness’ or ‘ailment’. She used to give up easily and did not see herself as someone who was capable and confident. But over the years, it has been so satisfying to see her develop resilience and confidence. This year she received our ‘Student of the Month’ award for the way she takes on any challenge confidently and for being one of the strongest, most determined students in our program.
Board of Directors
Meet Our People
Talitha de Klerk
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BALLET COACH
Talitha is a registered ISTD Cecchetti Ballet Teacher (2011-), and the founder of the Rhythm of Hope Dance Outreach Ballet Program (est. 2013). Having received ballet, modern/Jazz and Spanish training from some of the best in the South African Ballet Industry (former member of the YDCT Ballet Company 2000-2007) she loves and appreciates the discipline and artistry of classical ballet. But her years of training and touring with 13th Floor (Formerly C-Kruis (2009-2012), her time at Bethel School of Worship (July 2014), the completion of her BTH degree, and the last three years of coordinating Doxa Deo Brooklyn’s dance ministry team, has helped her witness and experience the power and effectiveness of movement and dance as ministry tool. She has a passion to help people establish their identities in Christ, through dance. Her aim and hope with this Rhythm of Hope is to uplift people’s lives and communities through excellent dance training.
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Tienie Louise van Loggerenberg
PUBLIC OFFICER, SECRETARY, STRATEGY, SOCIAL WORK
Tienie-Louise has a strong personal drive to positively impact less privileged communities and is inspired by the projects undertaken by ROHO. She is an Industrial Engineer by trade, with work experience in Supply Chain & Operations consulting as well as Business Analytics and Improvement. Her strong organizational and analytical skills bring a unique perspective on problem solving and strategy in projects. Over the past 10 years, she has been involved with several upliftment projects in the Gauteng region. ROHO is close to her passion, as it combines her love for dance with the intent of uplifting underprivileged children.
Reineilwe Dube
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Reneilwe is a dedicated leadership development specialist, driven by a commitment to fostering inclusive organizational cultures that empower all individuals to find their sense of belonging and excel in their unique talents. With a professional background in Industrial Engineering and a natural flair for creativity, she approaches problem-solving with both analytical precision and creative innovation.
Reneilwe’s journey into the world of arts began at a young age when she was introduced to ballet dancing at the age of eight. Over the years, her passion for dance expanded to various genres, including Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Latin American styles. This diverse dance background has enriched her perspective and approach to life.
One of Reneilwe’s most profound beliefs is in the untapped potential of South African youth, especially in underprivileged communities. She recognises that exposure and opportunity can unlock countless dreams and untapped genius. This has inspired her to be instrumental in youth upliftment through the creative arts.
Today, Reneilwe continues to nurture her love for ballet as a doting ballet dance mom, combining her passion for dance with her dedication to creating a brighter future for the youth of South Africa.
Hendri de Klerk
FINANCE
As an alumni of Ernst & Young, Hendri has more than 7 years’ experience in financial and general management. Hendri is a CFP® and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning. His passion is to inspire people through innovative, productive and focused administration and he currently lives out this passion as part of Ultima Financial Planner’s Management Team. As a drummer/musician, Hendri was also part of “C-Kruis” later called 13thFloor for 2 years and has a passion for upliftment through the arts and music in particular.
Lizette de Villiers
HUMAN RESOURCES & STRATEGY
Lizette is a business consultant that specializes in call centre design, audit, turnaround programmes, management training and coaching and workforce optimisation. She is a qualified facilitator, trainer, assessor and professional graphologist and completed her Honours degree in Psychology. Lizette has participated in the design and development of the workforce optimization tool called Shadowmatch (www.shadowmatch.co.za). She is fluent in English and Afrikaans and speaks and reads basic French and Russian. Lizette did ballet for many years and has a passion for dancing. She chose to become involved in the Rhythm of Hope (ROH) initiative to contribute both strategically and in the personal development of the ROH team holistically as well as individually. Lizette believes that by empowering people with self-knowledge and enabling them to be their true selves, ultimately leads to happy and successful individuals with a positive and strong ego position.
Anika van den Berg
DANCE STANDARDS & IDENTITY CURRICULUM
Anika is a Business Consultant and Designer who creates insightful experiences to foster unity, resilience, and leadership capacity.
She holds a master’s degree in arts education from Stellenbosch University, where her research explored how collaborative art can instil hope and a sense of belonging in students. Her master’s research was recently published in the American Journal of Art and Design.
Anika also developed a first-year module on Active Citizenship through brand communication for a private university. Her educational theory is featured as a chapter in a handbook for social justice educators in South Africa.
Anika envisions a world where people care deeply, use their influence for good, and live reconciled lives. She believes that these values cannot be fully taught in a traditional classroom, and often, parents are not teaching them either—this is why the arts are essential.
A thinker, designer, and dancer, Anika lives in Pretoria with her husband and two young boys.
Team Members
Meet Our People
Jacqueline Hall
PROJECT MANAGER
With Joy Skills Development Project Manager & Bursary Student Project Manager.
Jacqueline is a Skills Development Program Manager that has a heart for helping other find and identify skills in themselves and partnering with them to watch theses skills grow and develop. In 2018 Jacque’ did her DTS with YWAM where she worked on the community outreach team that prioritized getting to know the families in Papua New Guinea in order to identify their needs. In 2019 she staffed a backpackers DTS that moved around different locations in South East Asia and Southern Africa, spreading the gospel but mainly helping wherever help was needed, including building a library. She was a team leader on outreaches where she organized outreach opportunities for the team as well as places to stay.
After YWAM she felt a calling to Africa and development so she applied to study further to learn the different hurdles, challenges and opportunities that are currently at work in South Africa and the global community. In 2021 she finished her BAdmin in Public Management and International Relations. During this time Jacque was a model UN mentor (2021 and 2022) where she discovered a deep love for empowerment and watching people grow and discover new skills they didn’t know they had. In 2022 she finished her honors in International Relations with her research paper focusing on Quantum leadership in mediation which helped her to identify different leadership and mediation models. She plans to finish her PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner) certification in 2024.
Her dream is to partner with people at the top of their fields to go into communities and partnership with the people there. To identify skills in people, empower them and help them to draw out those talents and skills and learn how to use them effectively. She is very excited and hopeful to go on the journey with With Joy as it opens the door to partner with experts and gives the opportunity for many to identify skills within themselves and grow.
Larissa Bester
DANCE COACH
Born with a love for dancing, Larissa started ballet at age 4 and has since participated in every Musical, Concert and competition she possibly could. In Primary school, she started Hip Hop classes in the SADTA syllabus and later transitioned to AIDT training, adding Tap and Contemporary styles to her repertoire and still actively enjoys these 4 dance disciplines.
She represented South-Africa as part of the SA Dance Team, in the World Dance Masters in Croatia. In 2017, she completed her AIDT Hip Hop and Associate exams, as well as the necessary AIDT Tap exams to commence with her Associate Training in this discipline.
In her own capacity Larissa started teaching pre-school ballet in 2013. Thereafter she taught her own ‘Love for Dance classes’ (combining ballet, contemporary and musical theatre disciplines) for the next 3 years, for children, students and adults. In 2015, she choreographed Maragon Olympus’ concert, and also started a Children’s Dance Ministry team at Doxa Deo Brooklyn.
She currently teaches ROHD’s Hopeful Hopper (Pre-School) Ballet-, Love for Dance-, Hip Hop- and Tap classes for children and adults. She is also still part of their Pure Hope Outreach, teaching ballet and Hip Hop. She is also leading the Dance Ministry at Doxa Deo Brooklyn, and doing Garsfontein Laerskool’s revue. She is also the Choreographer of the Jona Musical in September 2021. Having also completed her Pastoral Counselling and Psychology Degree in 2017, she hopes to combine counselling and dance, as practical form of therapy in the near future.
Larissa recently won the reality TV show, Ster-Status/Apprentices 2021 SA to follow her dream to open doors in the Industry, but to also make a difference in the lives of women.
Marika Botha
BALLET COACH
Marika qualified as a teacher in the Cecchetti Ballet method. She has passed her Advanced 1 exam and is working towards her Advanced 2. She is also a member of the Spanish dance Society of South Africa, having achieved her Segundo Año estudiante exam and currently also working towards the Instructor de Baile exam. She still enjoys dancing and performing with the Montoya Spanish Dance Academy and Theatre.
Mia Uys
BALLET COACH
Mia is a passionate and hardworking ballet teacher that is in love with the art of Ballet. She has been dancing since the age of 3 and will probably still dance until the day her legs stop working.
She is a qualified ballet teacher in the Cecchetti method. She completed her Associate Certificate in 2018. She also completed her Advanced 2 exam under Michelle Naudé in R.A.D in 2016. She is experienced in both schools of ballet and this allows her to use the knowledge of both in her teaching. She is a registered member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (I.S.T.D) in London. She matriculated at Hoërskool Waterkloof with Dance Studies as one of her major subjects. Her wide variety of training has given her the privilege of acquiring knowledge in theater, choreography, various dance styles as well as music studies and anatomy.
Get Involved
Join our Volunteer Base:
We appreciate the help of short term volunteers on a regular basis. They help facilitate our Term End Events; help with occasional transport needs or help with make-up/costuming needs for our annual shows, bubble washing parties/ costume sorting socials etc… By adding your name to our database you will know when and with what we need specific help with, so you can reach out/show up when you have the time.
Join our Stage Coach Internship Program
Are you between 19-25?
Are you a classically trained dancer who has completed up to intermediate level syllabi work?
Are you unsure of what to do after school and how dance will fit into your future?
Would you like your life as a dancer to minister at every opportunity?
Do you dream of dancing or teaching professionally, but would like a trial-run to see if it really is for you?
THEN THIS YEAR IS FOR YOU!
Whether you’re aiming for the professional stage or
entering the stage of life,
Our Stage Coach Internship Program can help you place yourself in any position and learn to move with meaning….
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Donate
What are donations for:
Running Costs
Enable one student at ROHO’s dance education on a monthly basis.
By donating the R250 monthly/ R3000 annual cost on their behalf.
Donate Funds
You can direclty donate
Our Bank Details:
Rhythm of Hope Outreach
FNB Cheque Account 62793897003,
Branch: 250655
or “click” on DONATE below to donate through our payment gateway:
Specific Projects:
- Pro-Arte Alphen Park Education Bursaries
- YDCT Dance Bursaries
- Dance Attire
- Annual Show/Outreaches
- Staff Development Bursaries
- Dance Dreams Workshop/Winter School
- Dance Exams
- Teaching Resources
- Identity Building Term End Events
Monthly Donation Subscriptions
Make monthly donations with debit orders.
R100 / Month
R250 / Month
R500 / Month
R1000 / Month
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Donate Funds
Our Bank Details:
Rhythm of Hope Outreach
FNB Cheque Account 62793897003,
Branch: 250655
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