MUSA MOTHA: THE DISABLED DANCER MAKING IT BIG

Despite losing his leg to childhood cancer, Musa Motha’s dancing has dazzled audiences locally and abroad. We chatted to this gifted South African performer about his inspiring journey.

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Born in Gauteng’s Sebokeng township 25 years ago, Musa Motha’s childhood began as normally as any other. Along with his older brother and three younger sisters, he was raised in a close-knit family by his loving grandmother, aunt and mother, Ntokozo.

A DEVASTATING DIAGNOSIS
However, the contentment of his early years was rocked when he was diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 11. ‘I started getting discomfort in my knee, which escalated to swelling and continuous pain,’ he says.

Numerous hospital visits followed and a biopsy eventually revealed cancerous cells in his bone marrow. After two years of being confined to bed, Musa’s leg was amputated. ‘The amputation actually made me stronger and smarter, in terms of making decisions and thinking positively,’ says Musa. ‘I also had to learn to work with gravity and walk on stairs, steep areas and slippery slopes, but I adapted well.’ Despite his difficulties, the love and support of family helped him maintain a positive mindset and zest for life, and today he is thankfully cancer-free.

I guess I don’t believe that anything is impossible. Instead I choose to break the word “impossible” into two and live my life by one motto: I’m possible.

DRAWN TO DANCE
An innate love of music inspired Musa to learn various contemporary dance styles, such as sbhujwa, hip-hop and pantsula. He became a beneficiary of the Reach for a Dream Foundation, which gave him a sound system and inspired him to reach his dream of becoming a contemporary dancer. Musa used gravity and incorporated his crutches into routines, and his skilful moves soon started attracting major attention.

He went on to feature in Drake’s ‘One Dance’ and DJ Ganyani’s ‘Waiting for You’ music videos, and competed in various dance competitions. These included the Red Bull Beat Battle, where he placed third provincially and the Red Square Dance Knockouts, which he won. But it was after joining the Johannesburg-based Vuyani Dance Theatre in 2018 that his dance career truly began to soar.



‘It was with this world-class dance company that I received more formal dance training, learning styles like ballet, contemporary and Afro-fusion,’ says Musa. His phenomenal talent eventually led to his debut on the international stage. ‘With the Vuyani Dance Theatre, I attended two dance festivals in New York and Dubai,’ he shares. His performance in Vuyani’s Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Boléro in 2019 was also widely praised and he was awarded the prestigious Lesedi Spirit of Courage Award at the 2020 Naledi Theatre Awards in September.



‘I CAN ALSO DO IT!’
‘My challenges have always been finding myself, adapting to the environment of a professional dancer and making an “I can also do it!” statement,’ Musa confides. ‘But my self-motivation and the excitement of learning new things, reading books, watching motivational videos, inspiring my peers and finding new ways of moving all drive me.’

With such an impressive body of work behind him, there’s little doubt that his best years are still ahead. Creating a platform for physically challenged dancers and enjoying more international projects are just a couple of this young dancer’s ambitions for the future.

‘I think that once you find your purpose in life, the right doors will open, no matter the obstacles,’ says Musa. ‘I guess I don’t believe that anything is impossible,’ he adds. ‘Instead I choose to break the word “impossible” into two and live my life by one motto: I’m possible.’