Acclaimed dancer and choreographer Sunnyboy Motau has been appointed the new Artistic Director of Moving into Dance (MID).
On the back of two Naledi Awards for MID’s Ingress production at the Joburg Theatre and State Theatre in 2022, which he directed, and having just completed a stint in London as part of a few selected global leaders in the American Express Global Leadership Academy by Common Purpose, Motau steps seamlessly into the role of Artistic Director.
Says CEO of MID, Nadia Virasamy: “It almost feels like Sunnyboy was made for this position. He has embraced it with all the creativity and artistic passion he could muster, and has proven himself as not just an incredible artist but a worthy administrator as well. This feels a long time in the making but now that we are here we can only smile at a journey that has brought us this gift of leadership, loyalty and creativity.”
Hailing from Alexandra, Motau remains invested in the development of his home township through dance, and in the belief that dance truly brings hope. Having joined MID in 2008 as a student, Motau is now a renowned choreographer and sought-after facilitator nationally and internationally. He has won the ImpAct Award for Choreography in 2016 and was also named among the Mail & Guardian‘s top 100 young people to watch.
“It is an honour to be selected to carry this task and take over as Artistic Director. This is a massive milestone for a young man from the streets of Alexandra with only the hope of making a positive impact in the community and the world at large through my creative passion. I am so grateful to this organisation that I love, to the many people that have supported me through my dance journey and now am looking to the future with confident expectation.”
Sunnyboy Motau
Virasamy adds: “Sunnyboy is the embodiment of the Moving into Dance’s ethos. We have always been about nurturing African leaders through dance. We reminisce the previous associate artistic directors such as Vincent Mantsoe and Gregory Maqoma, groomed at the hands of MID’s founder, Sylvia Glasser, who have since transitioned to great things; and now we stand on the threshold of Sunnyboy Motau and launch his artistic directorship here at MID like many before him.”
