'Grateful for the gift of dance': Hope Ramafalo to represent Mzansi in Europe and US
As amapiano music continues to put South Africa on the map, Hope Ramafalo, also known as King Maestro, is taking the world by storm with amapiano dance.
The multitalented artist and star will headline the BeAfrika Amps international Afro dance camp in Montpellier, France, from July 14 to 20 with Bontle Modiselle and other renowned dancers from around the world.
After this event, she will embark on a dance tour, performing in Amsterdam, Spain, Barcelona and Paris, and later in the year she will take her talents to the US, performing in Seattle on August 22, with additional visits to the MTV Nickelodeon studios in Los Angeles on August 24 and 28.
'I have no words when I think about what dance has done for me. I didn't think dance would put me in the position I am today. I'm grateful for the gift of dance to have the opportunity to share my gift with the world. I'm grateful for dance because it saved my life,' she told TshisaLIVE.
'I didn't think I could make a career from dance but I quickly realised how good I was at it and decided to be more intentional about it and move forward with it. A dance career was never enough encouraged. People never understand when someone wants to be a dancer, but by God's grace I found my passion and purpose through dance.'
Hope has become a force to be reckoned with. Aside from being a multi-platinum award winning choreographer and dancer, she won the Social Media Personality of the Year award at the 16th Feather Awards.
With viral dance challenges such as Hamba Ha, uMkhukhu (MKK) and Zula ka Strata inspiring millions around the world, her music has gained significant traction, with her song Areyeng trending for a long time on TikTok.
'The amapiano genre has opened up a lot of doors for a lot of artists. When I decided I was going to release music I didn't know how it would go, but all I knew was to at least try. The beauty about uncharted ground is you never know where it will take you. My song trended for a long time on TikTok and the way it's been received is how people have received my dance and I hope to one day merge the two on a bigger scale.'
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South African dancer Hope Ramafalo, also known as King Maestro, is making waves in the amapiano dance scene. Image: Supplied Multi-talented artist Hope Ramafalo, also known as King Maestro, is taking the world by storm with amapiano dance. This July, Ramafalo will be headlining the BeAfrika Amps international afro dance camp in Montpellier, France, alongside Bontle Modiselle and other renowned dancers from across the globe. Her international takeover won't just stop in France; soon after, she will be on a dance tour performing in Amsterdam, Spain, Barcelona, Paris, and the United States. The dancer never thought she could build a career from dance, but she is now living in the reality that it is possible. 'A dance career was never encouraged enough; if anything, people never understand when someone wants to be a dancer, but by God's grace, I found my passion and purpose through dance,' she said. Sharing a message for the youth who may feel uncertain about careers in the music and dance spaces, Ramafalo encourages them to follow that fire. 'Your path doesn't have to look like everyone else's. We weren't born to play it safe; we were born to move, create, express, and inspire. 'Your gift has a purpose, even if the world hasn't seen it yet. Keep showing up for it.' The choreographer and dancer won the Social Media Personality of the Year award at the 16th Feather Awards. With viral dance challenges like Hamba Ha, uMkhukhu (MKK), and Zula ka Strata inspiring millions across the globe, her music has also gained significant traction, with her song "Areyeng" trending on TikTok. Ramafalo has firsthand experience with the impact of social media on a person's career. There are no auditions, gatekeepers, just a stage without borders. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Hope Ramafalo, also known as King Maestro, is taking the world by storm with amapiano dance. Image: Supplied 'Social media changed the game, honestly. Viral dance challenges? Those are like digital revolutions. 'One video can take a dancer from a kasi in Jozi straight to global screens. It's not just about clout, it's about visibility, connection, and pride, our stories, our moves, our culture. 'The world wants it and now we have the tools to deliver it ourselves.' Ramafalo's journey shows that passion and perseverance can break barriers. She hopes that the next generation of South African dancers and artists will be inspired to dream and know it's possible to make it. 'I want young artists to know that 'international' isn't out of reach. The only limits are the ones we believe. We are the future of storytelling, African, powerful, unapologetic. 'Keep dreaming, but also keep working. You never know who's watching, or how far your talent can travel.' IOL Entertainment
