TSWELELANG CULTURAL DANCERS

Tswelelang Cultural Dancers Organization (TCDO) was established in 2000 as a registered NPO aims to carry creative and social responsibility of the diverse society in South Africa. It is comprised of young dynamic dancers and creative people whereby the majority of them are orphans from Logageng Village in Ratlou area and beyond. It operates in the North West province aiming to have branches in the other provinces of South Africa.

TCDO was formed with sole purpose of contributing meaningfully to the enhancement of the performing arts in the province and beyond, given the proud record, which the province has in producing quality performers from all genres of the performing arts. To keep the youth from the streets by actively participating in matters of local government such that the communities are informed of all the legislative processes in government as enshrined in the Local Government Municipal Systems Act.

1. What we do

Tswelelang Cultural Dancers Organization is committed to the creation of artistic performances in dance, music, poetry and musical theatre. Its primary target audience is the people from the rural communities who are seldom exposed to the mainstream entertainment industry in line with the services offered by the organisation.

1. Strategy & Vision

Vision statement

To establish a leading creative platform for progressive cultural dancers and performing artists to emerge from the rural communities of the North West Province to reach greater heights as well-polished diamonds of South Africa.

Tswelelang Cultural Dancers Organization (TCDO) will accomplish its vision by:

·        Promoting a progressive and sustainable development of the performing arts, especially in rural areas of our province and beyond.

·        Training and building capacity for our artists and performers involved in this sector.

·        To encourage effective community partnerships and creative talent and skills development.

a.   Mission statement

Effective utilisation of the abundant artistic talent that exists in our rural communities to create about sustainable livelihoods and make a significant contribution to the national cultural melting pot. Community participation and stakeholder mobilisation are key to make sure that these creative and artistic dreams are effortlessly achieved.

b.   Values

·        Integrity

·        Honesty

·        Loyalty

·        Discipline

·        Transparency

·        Sound financial management

·        Sound corporate governance 

2. Business Goals & Objectives

·        Establish an accessible platform from which our creative society (artists and performers) from rural areas can showcase their diverse talents to broader community.

·        Create projects that can be sustained through artists and performers that can benefit from in terms of creating employment for them.

·        Secure the necessary funding to put up and perform proposed projects.

·        Always identify with our rural audiences through securing a practical performance space, which will be practically accessible, noting the challenges of our targeted audience.

·        Ensure equitable empowerment of youth, women and people with disabilities in all the projects undertaken by the organization.

·        To advance nation building, through making the current generations of Logageng Village conscious about Municipal Local Government

·        To celebrate social cohesion through highlighting a sterling example of a multi-cultural society which Logageng Village was in its prime.

·        Advance Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal by advocating for the resettlement of our people to their native land.

·        Seek to advance radical economic transformation by ensuring that the community will explore economic potential of their land that is Logageng Village.

·        Advance ideals of the Enterprise Development Strategy by giving economic empowerment to our rural population, chiefly through advocating for agrarian and rural enterprise development as future prospects for Logageng Village. 

a.   Growth strategy

·        Sourcing of external talent and skill on a contractual basis to enhance in house capacity

·        Diversification of in-house performing arts products to create sustainable growth 

·        Investment in strategic asserts of value to the future of the organisation

3. Products & Services

a.   Products

Traditional dance, music, poetry, drama & story-telling, beadwork, performing arts skills transfer and consultancy.

b.   Services

Theatrical performances, municipal ward level workshops around local government, live concerts, audio music production and professional dance competitions.

c.   Business competitiveness

This is one of the few organisations in the arts industry formed with the main if not sole purpose of focusing entirely on artistic development in the rural communities, thus effective promotion of what has been termed ‘taking theatre to the people’. It is rooted entirely in the community it serves and thus has a large community buy-in in promoting artistic and entrepreneurial spirit.

d.   Quality policies

Registered with RISA, IMPRA & SAMRO.

4. Management & Ownership

a.   Directors

Mr. Godsend G. Mokgope

b.   Managers

Mr. Godsend G. Mokgope (Managing Director)

Mr. Bakang Molefe (Chairperson)

Miss Angela Mogorosi (Public Liaison Officer) Local Government Workshops

c.   Mr. Godsend G. Mokgope (Managing Director)

Mr.Bakang Molefe (Chairperson)

d.   Affirmative action initiatives

This is a 100% black owned organisation with sizable number of youth, women and people with disabilities participating and benefiting.

e.   BEE

Level 1 contributor BEE Certificate

5. Portfolio of Evidence

Tswelelang Cultural Dancers Organization (TCDO) Performances Highlights:

2017- Winner in the Golden Shield Heritage Awards 2017 in the Voice of Heritage Awards

2017- Nominee in the Satma Awards 2017 in the Best Setswana Album Category with the third album titled Motho Wa me

2016- Nominated in the Golden Shield Heritage Awards held in Kimberly in the Voice of Heritage Category

2015- Staged and performed to full house a musical theatre production titled TSELANE AND SANKATANA with a meaningful contribution from the community

2015- Released their second album titled Richang

2014- Nominated in the Best Setswana Album Category SATMA AWARDS 2014

2014- Nominated in the Best Downloaded Song Category SATMA AWARDS 2014

2012- Participated in the SOUTH AFRICAN DANCE FOUNDATION competition held in Mmabana

2011-Performed at the launching of the SATMA AWARDS ceremony at the University of Fort Hare, Alice EASTERN CAPE

2011- Nominated in the SATMA AWARDS 2011 in the BEST CULTURAL ORGANISATION CATEGORY

2010- Nominated in the PREMIERS YOUTH EXCELLENCE AWARDS in the SECOND RUNNER UP ARTS AND CULTURE CATEGORY certificate awarded

2010 – Nominated in the 17^th MTN SAMA AWARDS in the BEST SETSWANA ALBUM CATEGORY

2009= Nominated for Best Traditional Dance Group SATMA AWARDS 2009 certificate awarded

2009- Performed at the Poko Seminar at Convention center

2009- Performed at the amongst the stars musical celebrations at Mmabatho convention center

2008 -- Performed at the Provincial finals of Zindala Zombili and obtained position one

2008 – Performed at the National Zindala Zombili Gala dinner held Mmabatho Convention Centre

2008 – Took part in the Stop Crime Drama Festival held in Mmabana Mafikeng

2008 – Invited to compete for the international festival to be held in Brazil

2007 – Performed in Setlagole recently at the official handover of 1000 housing subsidies.

2007 – Performed at the regional competitions of Zindala Zombili and took position one (1)

2007 – Performed again in the District Finals of Zindala Zombili and obtained position one

2006 – Performed in Setlagole – Inauguration of the Mayor Petrus Setlhogo.

2006 – Performed in Sandton, Johannesburg, and Celebrity Wedding of Pepsi Pokane, which appeared in ROOTS on SABC One.

2005 – Performed at official opening of Standard Bank in Setlagole – Ratlou Local Municipality.

2005 – Performed at Regional Finals of Zindala Zombili held in Logageng and obtained position 2.

2005 – Performed at Provincial Finals – Zindala Zombili Festival held in Klerksdorp and obtained position 3.

2005 – Performed at Regional Finals in North West Cultural Calabash held in Makgobistadt and obtained position 1.

2004 – Performed at the opening of North West Provincial Legislature.

2003 – Performed at African Night Function at Institute of Tourism at Hotel School in Mafikeng.

2003 – Performed at Sun City.

2002 – Performed at Cultural Festival held in Logageng village and obtained position one.

2002 – Performed at Nasrec at World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Founder and Managing Director of Tswelelang Cultural Dancers Organization (TTCDO)

Tswelelang Cultural Dancers Group displaying their traditional attaire in style before the actual performance

Tswelelang female cultural dancers measuring the art of their footwork next to the swimming pool to test the waters after the performance

Tswelellang Cultural Dancers in action with radiant faces that express their confidence in what they are good at in the performing arts

Tswelelang Cultural Dancers in exceptional traditional attire that identifies the group as true Batswana  

Food parcels organized Tswelelang Cultural Dancers organization to give the needy rural cummunity

The needy family is given food parcel and reminded to put on mask during COVID19

Another needy family takes the food parcel from Tswelelang Cultural Dancers group

Tswelelang Cultural Dancers Group gives another needy family the food parcel

One of the families that received the food parcels  from Tswlelang Cultural Dancers Group