The South African choreographer and art activist, Ms. Mamela Nyamza, is formally trained in Ballet at Zama Dance School, and the Tshwane University of Technology, and got further training at the Alvin Ailey New York School of Dance as visiting scholar. This is where Nyamza began to tackle the classical genre of dance, by deconstructing the traditional methods and logic of ballet and contemporary dance. The Dying Swan (1998), Hatched (2007) and The Meal (2012) are autobiographical works that trample on the norms of the classics. Her other works include: Black Privilege (2018), Grounded (2022) and her newest work Hatched Ensemble (2023). Nyamza has received numerous awards and accolades, including being chosen as the Featured Artist of the Grahamstown Standard Bank National Arts Festival 2018 and chosen as the Legacy Artist for JOMBA! Dance Festival for the Year 2023.

The ultimate vision for Nyamza, is to make Dance, as the genre of the performance art, to convey body politics on all social issues, and not to entertain but to edutain. Hence the creation of Hatched Ensemble and the establishment of her new non-profit company Mamela’s Artistic Movement.