Today we’d like to introduce you to Liezel Lane, Toseima Jiles, and Sanet Halck.
Liezel, Toseima, Sanet, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in South Africa in 1971. From 3 years of age my mother had me in dance classes all the time. As an adult I now understand that dance was basically my daycare to help my mom cope with being a single mother and having to do multiple jobs to keep me and brother going. Ever since I can remember, I felt different from others kids. I was more sensitive to sound, movement, feelings, behavior and reactions. I knew and was always reminded that dance was my privilege no my right. My youth was turbulent and emotionally stressful watching my mom suffer and struggle trying to make things work, so I was the good girl. Always did what I was told, never wanting to disappoint, watched my manners and respect always. My father was building a new life for himself and even though I saw him regularly, I never remember him seeing me dance. As an elementary schooler, I did every kind of dance form you can imagine. I was in all competitions, shows, showcases…you name it. I always remember being completely nervous before going on stage. I never regarded myself as “good” or “talented”, I was always just scared….but when I hit the stage and the feeling after being stage I was the happiest little girl on earth. Untouchable and vibrating with the energy of the universe. There was a time my mom had to put us in a provincial boarding school, because she could not afford to keep us. Although we only got to see her 1 per month, I loved the adventures of becoming independent at 8 years old. This is when I started choreographing. For the little town’s (Greytown’s) Centennial celebration I gathered a group of girls and 1 boy and created my first piece to Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean”. Looking back at these pictures just makes me giggle and smile. Life was tough but I was doing what had become my life and survival and as I entered High School at age 12 I was really happy and then very grateful for this thing my mom gave me called “DANCE”.
My teen years were very different. Moving to a different boarding school…this time all girls, private (on scholarship) and a second language English student (Afrikaans being my first), was completely out of my depth. I was failing school, I did not make friends with the rich girls very easily because they were all very privileged and had everything they wanted. They were smart, confident, and could have anything they wanted. I was called “the little Afrikaans girl”. My mom was in an abusive marriage and I was extremely lonely. I was worried about my mother all the time and of course had to climb my way up the ladder to educational competence which was a new mountain I did not know how to climb. Yet again, my saving grace was dancing. I dance Ms Eileen Keegan as a pre-ballerina. I was terrified of her but really loved her at the same time. Every single day I went her academy after school and there I stayed till late at night, doing my homework in between classes and lectures. It was a very competitive environment and judgement was so high but I could cope here somehow. Being here helped deal with school dynamics and escape from home drama and not having a functional relationship with my father. My father still had not seen me dance. At 15 I became credible at school finally as a dancer and not someone to feel sorry for by rich white girls (Yes, I am white but my most valuable friends were Indian or Black). I was pulled out of athletics and only allowed to do synchronized swimming and swimming) for fear of spraining my ankles. At this point I started directing groups for competitions and performing in modeling shows and musicals at school. With Ms Keegan I was being groomed for Ballet school in London. A lot of point work, many classes, dance theory and history, examinations by ASTD panelists. It was grueling. At this point I was living at home with my mother and step-father. Enduring endless night’s abuse on both of us…this was the start of my new anorexic life. After MANY years of therapy and being the subject of academics, I now know that this came about as a result of me trying to control some aspect of my life, compete with girls to get lead parts in ballet, and generally being so exhausted at night and hours and hours of dancing that I was literally to nauseous to eat.
At this point in my life, I now knew that 1) I would never depend on a man 2) that I didn’t trust people 3) that If I want things to happen I have to be in charge 3) I never want my children to go through what I have been through.
So I started planning my future…I already knew that I would be a psychologist, because I wanted to understand why grown up people do what they do. I already knew that I would dance. I already knew that my path would be different from people I know. I already knew that I had learned so much from my mother, what she endured and that I would NEVER be in that situation.
At 18, I was tentatively accepted into Lane-Theater Arts School in London. Crazy Karma…… my application and position accepted, my accommodations organized, my part-time nanny job arranged…….The day I landed I Heathrow Airport…Nelson Mandela was released from prison, I was interrogated for 8 hours, my passport was confiscated and 24 hours later I was stranded in Amsterdam with my luggage on its way to Johannesburg and me … stuck. Somehow I made it back to Johannesburg….all a blur and my world crumbled and collapsed. No acceptance into a University, no ballerina school, no job…..and my step-father kicked me out of the house.
With my mother’s strength of character and a kick in my butt, she literally pulled me out and dropped me on Smith street and said don’t come back to the car unless you have a job. So with that, I became a receptionist at an adjuster’s office, moved into the YWCA and started auditioning for dance gigs. That year with dancing, waitressing and work I was determined to let the world know that my circumstances will never define me. I started choreographing in the cafeteria of the YWCA and saved every penny I earned. I applied to the best Psychology College in South Africa and after acceptance I was able pay off my first year on my own and get an RA job on campus as well as other part-time jobs to keep paying for college. After my 5th year, I had very little student debt, a Master’s degree as an Industrial Psychologist and I was a qualified Ballet instructor. During my college life I had a very small group of friends, kept myself very focused, failed a lot and succeeded a lot. I use rock climbing to keep me Ballet shape and became a ranked climber in South Africa because of my body to weight ratio. Although this all sounds great, these were emotionally dark times. I relapsed with anorexia, I had to watch my friends go through civil unrest with Nelson Mandela become PM, I had to work with rape crisis happening in SA at the time and because I was a working student, I was again lonely. Very little party nights, working through the night to pass, because I WAS PAYING for my education. My business sense was growing though and I would dream about my future every single night, make lists, and plan my rise as an independent woman. I was older than my peers because of the GAP year and my conversations and insights came from professors, advisors and graduate students.
I was accepted as an intern practitioner at the country’s largest insurance company. This year was defined as the most important development year for me and I believe put me on the trajectory to executive management. Timing, place and determination helped me part of the largest pos-apartheid workforce integration initiative, helping black South African men become successful as sales people in the workplace. As a result of this work I was accepted to present a white paper at the Conference for Advances in Management on Boston USA. My first trip to America. No dancing here…just a ton of business and networking education. Fast forward 3 years later I land in Nebraska and start working for today’s TD Ameritrade.
I re-started again. New life, new dance world, and new professional career. 15 years in the US corporate life and dancing/performing on the side I 1) was not dependent on a man 2) created my own destiny and 3) was dancing still as a 35 year old on pointe 4) had 3 beautiful children.
By 2010, I had complete burnout. Work travel and exec management did me in along with keeping up with my dancing.
My husband was transferred to ATL with his firm. I resigned my job and decided to take a 6 month sabbatical. During this time we moved, got the kids settled, and I brought my mother over from South Africa to be with me. At this time in her life she discovered Oriental Dance (better on the joints) and accepting of the female full form! As a ballet snob I slowly started to learn some of this dance from her and over a 1 year time-frame I fell in love with Middle Eastern Dance. So we started a tiny studio in the basement of our home. Now 8 Years later in partnership with my mom a dream of empowering girls and developing future leaders. Based on both of our pasts and experiences.
How did I get here? 1) No easy handouts 2) Hard work 3) Determination 4) Dreaming 5)Planning 6) All the teachers in my life through the years 7) Resilience 8) Emotional Centeredness 9) A knowing that what you desire will happen 10) Training and education 11) Faith in humanity
As a team, we have worked to build a safe after school dance mentoring environment for all girls and most recently, that endeavor now includes a unique program for boys as well. Here, they can safely build confidence, life-skills and achieve life balance using the vehicle of dance.
We are a Federal 501(c) (3) 100% dependent on our community to continue to provide a non-judgmental and safe place for kiddos to grow up and become leaders in their communities. No child will turned away!
Has it been a smooth road?
Not smooth – struggling with finances, emotional baggage, resources.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Global Dance Studio and Theatre – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Global Dance is the umbrella company for 3 programs. 1) Atlanta S.E.E.Ds Inc. (Self Esteem Empowerment and Education through Dance) 2) 3D Mentoring for young men (Drive, Dedication, Direction) 3) Global Dance for Adult Women.
We provide Globally Themed Dance Classes that facilitate leadership, self-esteem, empowerment and education in an effort to empowering girls and boys and developing future leaders as well as providing a non-judgmental place for adult women to dance!
As a team, we have worked to build a safe after school dance mentoring environment for girls and boys. Here, they can safely build confidence, life-skills and achieve life balance using the vehicle of dance.
We are a Federal 501(c) (3) 100% dependent on our community to continue to provide a non-judgmental and safe place for girls and boys to grow up and become leaders in their communities. No girl/boy will be turned away!
We also have a state of the art “Black Box” Theatre that is equipped with the latest audio and visual equipment, lighting and backstage facilities.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Roswell. We are skeptical and conservative community, but once trust is built you have followers and supporters for life.
Contact Info:
- Address: Centennial Villlage
2300 Holcomb Bridge Road
309
Roswell GA 30076 - Website: www. globaldanceatlanta.com
- Phone: 770-594-1937
- Email: liezel@globaldanceatlanta.com
- Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/GlobalDanceAtlanta/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atlantaseeds/
Image Credit:
Studio Jaki Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
