So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) judge David Matamela has switched roles from being a dancer and choreographer to an actor. Muvhango viewers have been seeing him on the show since this winter.
The sharp-tongued yet sweet judge joins in the list of choreographers such as Lorcia Cooper, Somizi Mhlongo and Khabonina Qhubeka who make waves in the entertainment industry with their dance moves and doubling as actors.
Makisto speaks to David to find out what he has been up to since we last saw him on TV in 2010 during the last season of SYTYCD.
The dancer explains that he’s been very busy choreographing a number of dance shows both locally and abroad. “I was an only African judge in Dance World Cup in Paris Disney World where best dances in the world faced-off,” he says. After the world cup, which he says it is one of the highlights of his career, he came back home and choreographed a number of shows both for stage and TV including adverts for MTN, appeared in an Engen ad, amongst other things.
As fate would have it, David was choreographing Lion King in Paris when Muvhango executive producer Duma Ndlovu asked him to come in to audition for the role of Ntakuseni. “There were so many people at the auditions and the whole process took over three weeks to complete. However, I eventually got the role,” he says.
Getting the role wasn’t a walk in the park though, he explains. “I have never been an actor and wasn’t sure if I could do this. On the final stage of the auditions where it was me and another guy, I was really nerve-wrecked but I managed to remain calm,” he laughs.
On his first day on set, he says: “When I was filming the scenes, nerves took over once again and thanks to my co-stars, they advised me and I looked at them and they were all calm. I have been in front of the cameras before with SYTYCD but acting is a whole new ball game. I was busy concentrating on getting my lines right when the director told me move, stand, sit down etc etc. “Keeping all the things that happen in a scene in mind while delivering lines isn’t easy but thanks to my colleagues, I am now doing well,” he sighs.
Loyal Muvhango viewers who have been religiously watching the show for the past 15 years would have noticed that David is in fact the second actor to play the role of Ntakuseni. Muvhango is infamous for replacing actors. However, this isn’t the case as the old Ntakuseni was contacted to come and reprise his role but it turned out he had other commitments and the show decided to have auditions hence the dancer landed the role.
I have had the pleasure of visiting Muvhango in October and David was doing very well in his scenes which is a far cry from what he told me during the time of my interview with him a month earlier.
As for another season of SYTYCD, David reveals to me that there are plans in place for a third season and the show’s production company, Rapid Blue, is waiting to hear from SABC1. “We are only waiting for the green light the people can put on their dancing shoes,” he says.
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