Once upon a time in England there lived a young girl who loved to dance. Her desire was so strong that she decided to teach others in her parents’ garage. Her passion grew as she got older and she later danced professionally for The London City Ballet which was predominantly a touring company. After many years of relentless performances and living out of a suitcase, she was exhausted. She chose to recuperate in Durban, South Africa and whilst dancing there for a local company she met her husband, to be, who was also a dancer. They decided to travel and worked with her previous company in London but later moved to Cape Town, South Africa. By this time, she felt that she had enjoyed enough of a dance career. Her name was Fiona Anne Barclay Sutton. Fiona cried out to her almighty God asking how she could best serve him. Her feet were guided to the Townships of Cape Town. This is her story and legacy........
Fiona worked alongside an outreach program called “Dance for All”. Her mission to change young lives began in Gugulethu and then for many years she was assigned a studio in Site C Khayelitsha. Here she planted a passion for dancing among many boys and girls. They were hungry to learn and for the next ten years she nurtured their development. Several of her students were then taught by the legendry prima ballerina, Phylis Spira, and after extensive training they pursued careers as professional dancers. However, once again after all the years of giving generously, Fiona was exhausted and now with a child of her own she followed her husband to live in the charming town of Montagu in the Western Cape. There was some time to recover, but it didn’t take long before her interest to make a difference took her to the Zolani Township in Ashton, not far from Montagu.
The teaching environment was far from ideal. Fiona initially used an old dilapidated and derelict church mission building. She urgently needed to find a better space and arranged to use a classroom at the local school. Before each session she would have to move the tables and chairs and sweep the dirty and dusty cement floors. And then in some magical way certain students began to shine. Fiona immediately picked up their natural talent. As their government schooling came to an end, Fiona knew she had to find a way forward into higher education. She forged links with The Cape Academy of Performing Arts (CAPA) and made it her mission for two students to be trained there. Even though the boys had full scholarships they needed funding to live in Cape Town. Special performances were arranged as Fiona went the extra mile to ensure their success. One of these young men was Mthuthuzeli November who would later win the famous Olivier Awards in London for best choreography.
One day Fiona arrived home after work and told her husband that a new boy had arrived for class that afternoon. With great excitement she described his natural talent, beautiful turnout and feet and the youngster could pick up all the intricate steps with ease. She was talking about Mthuthuzeli November’s younger brother. A Canadian family visiting Montagu didn’t know it at the time, but they were about to take care of Siphe November who was going to live with them in Canada and attend the National Ballet of Canada’s School. Years later Siphe graduated and today he is a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada. He too has won several awards in recognition of his incredible talent. Siphe November was given an incredible opportunity and there are many others waiting in the wings, if only they could receive the same.
By this time interest in Fiona’s success had grown. The movie “Beyond Moving” was made about Siphe, reflecting the transition from Township boy to world stage performer. Unfortunately, Fiona had been diagnosed with lymphatic node cancer and in 2017 the doctors told her that they could do nothing more. She died later that year before the movie which explored issues between teacher and student, was released. She was, however, able to watch her kids performing, for the last time, at the Montagu Youth Arts Festival. It was an emotional day for all. That year her husband, Mitya, offered to help. He began teaching the Zolani children and registered “Dancescape South Africa” as an NPO. They were also able to secure studio space in Zolani. Fiona’s friends in England who wanted to help keep a dying woman’s dance school alive, set up a crowd funding campaign through “the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen” or GISHWHES. It raised enough money to keep DSA active through many of its formative years. To live in the hearts of others is never to die” Today we pay tribute to Fiona Sutton (Sargeant) for her selfless, diehard work ethic and steadfast spirit, always going the extra mile. You have enriched the lives of every single student who has passed through you and today are richer for having known you. You leave us with wonderful memories of not only your work but also your special, humorous and big-hearted self. Thank you for being part of our lives. With deepest condolences and prayers to Mitya & Grace, your family, friends & students. RIP Fiona.
Following the success of Mthuthuzeli and Siphe November, a former American Ballet Theatre ballerina, Kristine Elliott Schwabacker was keen to find out how this had all come about. She contacted Fiona, a friendship developed, and then she came to visit; there would be many to follow. Later that year after Fiona’s passing Mthuthuzeli also came to visit and he taught and choreographed. Over the years, apart from the Covid 19 lockdown years, DSA has had several guest teachers. These include Sannette van de Mescht, Noluyanda Mqulwana, Yamkela Bambata, Africa Mtikitiki, Sophia Karayiannis, Catharina Louw, Sydwell Speelman, Antio Arendorf, Jennifer Kreichman, Sally Hanke, Adele Blank, Theo Ndindwa and Alfonzo Freemantle to name just a few.
In early 2018 Dancescape South Africa employed the brothers, Manie and Farouk Irving as teachers. With Mitya at the helm as Director, DSA resumed its work offering daily afternoon ballet, contemporary, jazz and street dance with its primary aim of getting the kids off the streets and into dance classes which are good for mind, body and spirit. Farouk and Manie left DSA in June of 2019 and Nqaba Mafilika continued as Resident Teacher. Nqaba was one of the Late Fiona Sargeant’s pupils in Khayelitsha, Cape Town and after performing both in South Africa and abroad has gone full circle to now give back to the community as a gifted teacher. Aviwe November joined DSA in late 2024 and was one of those initial Zolani students who Fiona enrolled with CAPA. DSA has also over the years maintained a trainee teachers’ program. Aviwe left the Dancescape program in June of 2026 and has provided an opportunity for Lutho Zwedalla to step in as Backup Teacher.
Over the years, Dancescape has been involved in many performances. One of the most significant was a tribute to the Late Fiona Sargeant called “For the love of Fiona” Held at the KWV Building in early March of 2018. It was an evening to remember as tribute was paid to Fiona’s passion to uplift the disadvantaged rural communities of South Africa. DSA has been involved with events and performances on/at the: Youth Day, Heritage Day, The Langeberg turning on of the Christmas Lights, Montagu Long Table performance, Eroica Cycle event performance, The Great Gatsby Party, The Baxter Dance Festival, A Festive Celebration performance, The Centre Stage performances, The “Rise” performance to name just a few. Many of these are yearly events. As each year unfolds unique events present themselves.
Dancescape has discovered many young dancers bursting with talent. Apart from Fiona’s discovery of Siphe and Mthuthuzeli November, there have been several others. Lihle Mfene was the first DSA student to receive a full scholarship with CAPA. Milisa Mathiso joined Lihle when he was in his second year. Lutho Zwedala followed a year later. Aphiwe November managed to find a route to study full time at the Houston Ballet School. He later returned to South Africa and is currently working for Cape Ballet Africa. In January of 2023 Chuma Mathiso, his older sister, Milisa, Phelo Ngxukumo and Thimna Ndwe continued their training with Jazzart Dance Theatre, based in Cape Town. Most of these students have subsequently danced professionally and continue to do so. New stars of the future are revealed every year. Solima Mathiso attended a dance intensive in New York in 2025 and in 2026 Lakhiwe Salman will join him.
The making of the “Beyond Moving” movie features the Late Fiona Sargeant and explores a complex relationship between her and Siphe November. Siphe’s exceptional talent made it possible for him to attend the National Ballet of Canada school in Toronto. Vikram Dasgupta, the creator and director of this movie came out to South Africa initially to film the Zolani environment where Siphe grew up, and to interview Fiona Sargeant before her death. He returned with Siphe after Fiona’s passing to complete the documentary. His amazing dance sequence and finale in the film was filmed on the streets of Zolani. Siphe dedicated this dance to the Late Fiona Sargeant who had been a great influence on his life.
The Montagu Youth Arts Festival has always been an important event on the DSA calendar. It can be considered a measure of the organization’s success. Each year DSA has brough home several trophies and medals not to mention the many Double Gold and Gold certificates. We encourage our students to push themselves to be the best dancers they can be, the accolades will follow. The festival is now known as The Montagu Eisteddfod and has seen several festival directors and venue changes, but what we hope to be consistent is DSA’s participation every year. In September of 2018 Dancescape won the Mayoral Tourism Award for Best Special Project. It was the 6th annual awards that year held at the Simonsvlei Winery, and we were delighted to receive this prestigious award.
Kristine Elliott has been incredibly helpful in arranging for several of our student to travel to the USA and to attend Dance Intensives in New York, San Francisco and Houston. At the time of the Coronavirus pandemic Kristine arranged online participation at these intensives via Zoom. The first to go to New York was Aphiwe November and Chuma Mathiso in 2018. Almost yearly, Kristine has arranged for students to attend dance intensives funded by the Gugulethu Ballet Project. In late 2019, just before the lock down, Ulli Bosch from Germany, introduced DSA to the organizers of the 7th Biennale Tanzausbildung in Hamburg, Germany. Five dancers and the DSA Director travelled to Hamburg in February of 2020 to participate. What a glorious week that was.
In 2023 DSA was invited to send a selected number of students to attend the First Step Ballet’s Saturday classes project. This is held in McGregor and usually happens on the first and last Saturday of every month. DSA was delighted to collaborate with the First Step Ballet and over the months and years have seen how well it has benefited the young dancers. During this time a new studio building has been built housing 2 large studios. Sprung floors with mats have been laid. We hope that this will continue and grow from strength to strength.
In March of 2026 Dancescape South Africa will celebrate ten years of existence. A decade of daily dance classes and getting kids off the streets, giving them much needed hope. It would not have been possible if it was not for one person. This person who asked God how she could make a difference in South Africa. The almighty heard her plea and blessed her efforts. Dancescape South Africa is testament to that. DSA strives to preserve the Fiona Sargeant Legacy for the longest time. It has, however, not been plain sailing. Funding issues are always a concern. Our environment in Zolani continues to be a challenge. Many of the children take our project for granted as they receive everything for free. In all of this we still find an amazing source of natural talent, and it always hurts when gifted students leave the project, perhaps not realizing their full potential. One thing for sure is that there is a great need amongst the children and youth of the townships. Thank you for viewing our progress and we hope that, if possible, you can contribute in some way towards our survival and success. Many thanks.
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