5MM INTERVIEW - MBALENHLE MKHATSHWA (FOUNDER OF MBALLET)

Mbalenhle Mkhatshwa, affectionately known as Mbali, is the founder of Mballet, a dance academy rooted in Tembisa that uses ballet as a tool for much more than performance. Mbali first fell in love with ballet at just six years old, introduced to the art by her mother, who saw dance as a way to give her discipline, confidence and a sense of possibility. Today, she is passing that gift on to a new generation of children, particularly young girls from under-resourced backgrounds. Through Mballet, Mbali creates a space where children can feel seen, build self-worth, develop discipline and imagine futures beyond the circumstances they were born into.