​Who We Are

Amanda and Bafana Matea are married. Sometimes they dance together!

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Where We're From

A: I grew up in Manchester, England

 

B: I was born in Pretoria, South Africa in Mamelodi township.

 

Our Dance Training

A: I trained with my mum at her school for 12 years, before attending the Royal Ballet School. Then I switched gears and studied at Laine Theater Arts, before moving to New York on a scholarship to the Ailey School.

 

B: I trained at Pro Arte Alphen Park School in South Africa till I finished high school. Then I also got a full scholarship to study at the Ailey School.

 

Our Dance Experience

A: Hope Boykin Dance, Pedro Ruiz, Christopher Huggins, Thomas Ortiz Dance, Opus Dance, Matthew Westerby Dance Company, Body Of People

 

B: Ballet Hispanico, Elisa Monte, Battery Dance Company, Juxtapower, Thomas Ortiz Dance, Matthew Westerby Dance Company

 

Music We Warm Up To

A: We are both opposite, Bafana listens to anything with a beat like house music to pump him up, whereas I listen to mellow tunes, which keep me calm and centered before performance.



Method For Treating Body Soreness

Baths, epsom salts, lavender oil, Rolling out with a tennis ball, Foam roller, and a lot of self massage!

 

Other Work Experience

We both wanted to work within the field of the body, so it was a natural move for us to certify in Pilates, Yoga and Ayurvedic nutrition.



A Cool Place We Visited While Dancing on a Tour

A: My best memories are in South America in Bolivia, Peru and Mexico where I collaborated and taught community dance to teenagers. I fell in love with the culture, the people and the lifestyle there, and those trips nurtured my passion for teaching and being involved with community.

 

B: I fell in love with South East Asia, which is still my number one favorite continent. But Congo in Central Africa was one of the most humbling experiences on tour, and the quality of art and dance was the highest I have ever seen.



Favorite Rehearsal Snack

A: Soy latte and banana

 

B: Nuts, Cliff bars and a Gatorade



A Dance Injury

A: I have a very flexible body, so I have dislocated more than my fair share of limbs! I have had sprained ankles and a torn rotator cuff in my shoulder, which I still have to work on strengthening today.

 

B: I have damaged cartilage in my knees from wear and tear over the years.

 

Other Passions

A: I enjoy costume design and anything art and crafty. I like to pick up fabrics from abroad and use them to make curtains and cushions in our apartment!

 

B: I grew up playing soccer, which I still enjoy today. I also love photography and shoot as much as I can.



Why do you dance?

A: There is nothing that makes me happier than moving…Everyone who knows me is familiar with the smile I have when I dance, as I love it so much! It's the one time I don't think of anything, it gives me that space of being purely in the moment.

 

B: I dance simply because I love it. The ability to be able to move your body is humbling and connects you to your innermost self.

 

What Do You Love About Dancing?

We always talk about dance as one of life's expressions that can bring everyone together.  As we have travelled the world, we have seen how a society that is exposed to the beauty of art, dance, and creativity can only benefit from it. In today's world, where so many things create the illusion of being separate entities, dance has the power to unite and inspire a collective consciousness.



What's the hardest part of being a dancer?

The hustle can become tiring and unsatisfying after a while. For people to love something so much and struggle so much is inhumane!