Born with an impressive dance lineage – both her parents danced with the Royal Ballet in London - Anitra’s theatrical career has included successes as performer as well as director/choreographer.
Her performance credits include, amongst others, Oklahoma!, BUDDY! The Buddy Holly Story, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Richard Loring’s That’ll be the Day. Anitra was also privileged to be part of the original South African cast of CATS, which not only performed locally but also toured internationally and to which she later returned as Resident Choreographer.
Apart from performing in an almost infinite number of corporate events as a dancer, her varied career has also included various pantomimes, extravaganzas and television appearances as well as being a founder member of the contemporary company - Tshwane Dance Theatre.
Anitra has also choreographed and directed many corporate events (including the 17th Annual South African Music Awards - SAMA’s), commercials and theatre productions as well as a number of shows for the Barnyard Theatre Circuit. She is a qualified SABOD modern dance teacher and has taught both Drama and Dance at a primary and high school level. She has been employed as lecturer at a tertiary level by Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and University of Pretoria (UP) in their Musical Theatre and Drama departments respectively, and has directed and choreographed productions for both departments including I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2008), the controversial ASSASSINS (2009) and Bat Boy – the musical (2013). She was also employed as Jazz and Theatre Dance lecturer in the Dance and Musical Theatre Faculty at Oakfields College for 5 years where she continues to be a guest lecturer.
She delights in passing on the knowledge of her craft to the next generation of performers in honour of the legacy started by her mother, Vicki Karras – an arts educator extraordinaire.
Tandi has spent a lifetime training in numerous dance disciplines including Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Contemporary, Latin American and Pas de Deux (Exhibition dance). After matriculating from the National School of the Arts, she went on to obtain a national Diploma in Musical Theatre from Technikon Pretoria and has spent the last 17 years working in various aspects of the performing arts industry – on stage, on screen and on television.
Her theatre credits include Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, We will Rock You, Jesus Christ Super Star and High School Musical. As a corporate dancer, Tandi has worked with many well-known industry choreographers but she has gone on to become a sought-after commercials choreographer and movement specialist in her own right and has numerous advertising credits for clients such as Wimpy, Vodacom, Jet, Aero and Kellogs. An on-screen highlight for her was acting opposite Khan Morbee in the SAMA award winning music video for Push me to the floor.
While Tandi has directed and choreographed various corporate and musical productions, her talents have also been used behind the scenes as wardrobe co-ordinator, make-up artist and assistant art director and in special FX.
Over the past few years, however, Tandi has dedicated more of her time to nurturing the next generation of performers. She believes that if you want to have a career in dance or theatre, just doing syllabus work is not enough; opening your mind and body to new styles of dance, and constantly challenging yourself to improve in each area, is all part of becoming a true artist in your craft.
As a 5-year-old ballerina at Ann Campbell’s Studio 93 in Potchefstroom, Yolandé was immediately smitten with the dance. She trained in Johannesburg with Ray and Venetia Joubert, Wendy Aykroyd, Margeret Broomberg, Kerry-Lyn McGuire, Chantal Pollachi and attended open classes with guest teachers Fiona Lacy and Russell Cummings.
Yolandé completed her BA Arts and Honours degrees in Psychology together with a Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education. Between 1996 and 2000 she juggled between freelance dancing and teaching Gr. R nursery school. Yolandé became a qualified RAD ballet teacher and completed her AIDT modern dance teacher training under the mentorship of Ms Anna Nell. She served on the NSDT (National Society of Dance Teachers) committee for 18 years and took part in organising the annual Concours Festival.
Yolandé has taught ballet, modern dance, and special needs hip hop at Ferndale Dance Academy since 1998 where students are entered for RAD and AIDT examinations and take part in numerous festivals and shows. She has been involved in training AIDT teachers and has fulfilled the role of an RAD mentor for ballet training. Yolandé has continued to hone her skills as an academic teacher for the subject Dance studies as a subject for Grade 10 to 12 pupils at Hoërskool Randburg for the past 6 years. She also teaches music and movement to children and adults with special needs including, but not limited to, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and Down Syndrome.
In her 22 years of teaching, Yolandé has produced successful candidates in the Prestigious AIDT Solo Performance Awards and for the RAD Grade and Major Bursaries – including an Advanced Foundation Major Bursary Winner. Amongst many noteworthy accomplishments include International Competitions such as the ADA Awards in New York as well as producing multiple Eisteddfod, Festival Championship Winners and All Rounders.
Yolandé’s love and understanding of children (of all abilities) and her ability to impart her knowledge of dance and theatre are among her greatest assets allowing her to be highly proficient in the process of dance training and the development of the young dancer/artist.
She is married to a man who can whistle RAD set music and has one hockey boy and another future strong man title holder, 2 dogs and a rescue tortoise and JATA is excited to have this exceptional, if somewhat eccentric, teacher on board as resident RAD instructor!
Mullin Krienke is a seasoned musical theatre and performing arts educator with over 16 years of experience in teaching, choreography and performance.
Starting in street dance, he has competed, judged and choreographed for national and international events, including the World Hip Hop Championship, the Soccer World Cup Opening Ceremony and Kanye West's Johannesburg concert.
Mullin has worked with major brands like Vodacom, Jet and Castle Lage, and has performed as a vocalist and dancer at venues such as Montecasino and Gold Reef City.
He specialises in teaching students of all abilities, including those with special needs, fostering inclusivity. collaboration and creativity.
As a choreographer, Mullin's highlights include the Savanna Comedy Choice Awards, Johannesburg Theatre Pantomime and the Born To Perform Showcase. His expertise extends to screen choreography where he blends theatricality with technical precision to meet the demands of live and multimedia productions.
Passionate about empowering young performers, Mullin is committed to shaping the next generation of industry-ready artists.
Malakai "Kai" Braam, born into a family legacy, has grown up surrounded by dance. His mother, Michelle Braam, and aunt, Rhonda Rhoda have been running Bosmont School of Dance since the early 2000s and from the tender age of 5, Kai trained in Modern, Jazz, Tap and Hip Hop not only reaching a professional standard but also competing and achieving in countless competitions, festivals and eisteddfods.
Throughout high school, Kai was a member of the Hip Hop Dance Crew and this was where he began to hone his choreographic skills. At 19, Kai was asked to choreograph for Bosmont School of Dance and his hip hop pieces danced away with top prizes at Gauteng Dance Festival, American Dance Awards (SA) and the East Rand Dance Festival.
Choreographic credits include:
Kai is not only passionate about teaching dance but is extremely eager to continue to explore and inspire through his choreography, and as such is looking forward to collaborate with the talented dancers of JATA.
"People dance because dance can change things. One move, can bring people together. One move, can make you believe like there's something more. One move, can set a whole generation free." - Moose, 2010
Zante Marais has danced through her entire life which has fuelled her passion for the arts. She is not only certified as an Acrobatics teacher by Acrobatic Solo Sport South Association, but has also achieved her certification in adjudication for ASSA competitions.
Since acquiring her three-year diploma from Oakfields College, majoring in Musical Theatre and Dance, Zante has been performing professionally in the entertainment industry as well as teaching at various institutions including The Flow Studio and Studio Spotlight, and continuously gives specialised workshops in acro & floor movement.
Her goal is to assist her students to explore the connection between movement and emotion within their bodies, to access their creativity and to flourish by being able to express themselves in the most positive way.
We are excited to have her share her passion and expertise with our JATA students.
