Katlego Mphahlele was a key member of dance crew IDA as they powered to Red Bull Beat Battle glory in 2013, but this year’s Battle is shaping up as an even bigger opportunity to showcase his sbujwa moves and beat-mixing skills.
Katlego Mphahlele (aka Sii) might only be 23, but he’s been a professional dancer almost half his life. Growing up in Tembisa township, east of Johannesburg, dance was a way of life: polishing moves on the street, earning a buck at corporate gigs, and building a profile by competing on TV dance shows. A master of sbujwa and pantsula, Katlego’s life got real when he was thrust into fatherhood at the age of 20. Spurred on by the arrival of a baby boy, Sii had little choice but to continue to dance his butt off to support his kid. He has toured Europe, made cameo appearances on Culoe De Song’s music videos, built a reputation as a producer and, of course, helped IDA – Indigenous Dance Academy – make history when they became the first non hip-hop crew to win Red Bull Beat Battle last year. IDA’s champion crew has since dissolved, but all the main members have regrouped and will be defending their title on June 7, this time as Prophelaz, and they’ll be dancing to beats produced by Sii’s house band, Drumetic Boyz.
The Red Bulletin: Why did you leave IDA?
Katlego Mphahlele: We left IDA a month before last year’s Red Bull Beat Battle for certain reasons, like the overall transparency of management. But because we had already auditioned and qualified, we couldn’t change the name, so we danced as IDA and formed Prophelaz after winning.
Katlego Mphahlele: We left IDA a month before last year’s Red Bull Beat Battle for certain reasons, like the overall transparency of management. But because we had already auditioned and qualified, we couldn’t change the name, so we danced as IDA and formed Prophelaz after winning.
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| Sii with his crew IDA now known as Prophellaz at a Red Bull photo shoot. Source: Katlego's Facebook page |
Has the crew’s split benefited or disadvantaged you?
It has benefited all five crew members: we have grown tremendously since then and we all know what we are working for.
It has benefited all five crew members: we have grown tremendously since then and we all know what we are working for.
What progress have Prophelaz made?
We were back-up dancers in Culoe De Song’s Make You Move video as well as in his new video No Contest, which we shot two weeks ago. Beatenberg have also shown interest in having us dance in their upcoming video.
We were back-up dancers in Culoe De Song’s Make You Move video as well as in his new video No Contest, which we shot two weeks ago. Beatenberg have also shown interest in having us dance in their upcoming video.
How does performing in the streets compare to taking your dance overseas?
Only your peers and screaming groupies will respect you for street dance. Our parents only began taking us seriously when they heard we were going overseas with this; we got props from young kids to senior citizens when we were in Europe.
Only your peers and screaming groupies will respect you for street dance. Our parents only began taking us seriously when they heard we were going overseas with this; we got props from young kids to senior citizens when we were in Europe.
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| Little did Prophellaz know that they would win the competition after this photo shoot. |
Where did you tour?
We went to France in 2011 for three months when we had a dance theatre show called uKjika with the old IDA crew. I went to Switzerland in 2011 to DJ at a club called Cancun. And three of us were in Italy three weeks before the 2013 Beat Battle as back-up dancers for PJ Powers.
We went to France in 2011 for three months when we had a dance theatre show called uKjika with the old IDA crew. I went to Switzerland in 2011 to DJ at a club called Cancun. And three of us were in Italy three weeks before the 2013 Beat Battle as back-up dancers for PJ Powers.
Tell us more about Drumetic Boyz…
Drumetic Boyz is a DJ duo consisting of William ‘Widjo’ Chilimba and myself. We formed the duo because we have so much in common: we’re both dancers, producers and house DJs.
Drumetic Boyz is a DJ duo consisting of William ‘Widjo’ Chilimba and myself. We formed the duo because we have so much in common: we’re both dancers, producers and house DJs.
Read the full story in May's issue of The Red Bulletin.
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