Miss Louisa takes full time dancing
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday April 28, 2025 11:00
Miss Louisa, who is also a DJ, started her professional dancing in 2020. In an interview with Arts&Culture, she explained that she began as a video vixen and dance choreographer, and since then, she has grown into a performance artist, teacher, and mentor through her dance academy, Dance It Out Botswana. She said dance has always been a part of her life saying the energy and emotion she got from dancing allowed her to express herself and was what truly pulled her in dancing. “I was inspired by music, movement, and the desire to tell stories without saying a word. Watching powerful dancers and being on set as a video vixen sparked a deeper passion for choreography and performance. Dancing is my full-time profession. I’m not just a performer, but I also run the mentioned dance school dedicated to grooming Botswana’s next generation of dancers. My work includes choreography, performance, teaching, and event coordination, making dance both my career and calling. I even host dance classes for the public almost every month, as well as international excursions like the recent Dance Nation Africa that was held in Pretoria, South Africa,” she added proudly.
This versatile dancer said she focuses on choreographed performances, Afro-dance, Amapiano, and contemporary urban styles adding that the vast spectrum allowed her to scoop an award at the Shining Star Africa Awards in 2023. Miss Louisa said she is also a creative director who conceptualizes and executes entire performances from the ground up. “Locally, I have had the pleasure of working with ATI, Han-C, La’Tonde, Flyboy Que (Kalima), and FME DJs. I choreographed ATI’s One Man Show and Han-C’s productions, among others. Internationally, I have worked with Makhadzi, Pabi Cooper, Awilo Longomba, Vukani (South Africa), and even performed in a music video for Kenya’s Mad Nyoni. I also opened for Kamo Mphela at the Amapiano Fest among the many,” she said. Speaking of her dream, she said it is taking Botswana dance to the global stage. She added that she wanted to represent her country in international festivals, music tours, and awards shows. She also aim to expand Dance It Out into a recognised institution across Africa as shown recently where she said a few of her students have already represented Botswana in Cape Town, South Africa. She said they would be having a bootcamp, which will take five days from April 28, 2025 till May 2, 2025. Locally, she said she would love to tap into the pageantry, music awards, marathon and business space. As a lead choreographer, she says she has seen that dance is drastically becoming a common language and a fun tool. Also, she said she would love to work with more emerging talents and help them level up their stage presence.
However, internationally, she said choreographing for music awards, shows, and corporate excursions would be a dream come true. She also wants to collaborate with other African choreographers to create cross-country performances, the likes of Soweto’s Finest. “It is not as easy as it seems to be a dancer here. Dance is evolving in Botswana, and we are seeing more support, platforms, and recognition for dancers. It takes dedication and business acumen, but with the right structure, like running a dance academy or working in the entertainment industry, it is definitely sustainable if done right. But I genuinely believe that times are changing and through technology. I’d like to believe that dancing could be a career in the future,” Miss Louisa explained. Furthermore, she pointed out that TikTok opened doors for most people, so she believed the world is going that direction, saying culture and technology would be the next big thing. The biggest challenges she said she faced in the dance industry included a lack of funding, limited exposure, and sometimes not being taken seriously as professionals. She pointed out that there is a need for more structured platforms that allow dancers to thrive beyond just stage performances. Miss Louisa also said she believes in teamwork, saying everybody needs to know their role that was why she gave DV Talents their credits.
She added that her representatives, Daisy Tshoswane and Leago Mogano, played a vital role in ensuring that her dreams come true. She also said they worked more as a family adding that just seeing the brand’s development and growth added more value. “Managers are important and I would tell all artists to get managers as they can assist your business administration side of your brand while you just focus on building the talent you have got. Stay consistent, believe in your craft, and treat dance as both an art and a business. Build your brand, collaborate, and never stop learning. Hard work, networking, and visibility,” she ends.