I didn’t know I was Black until I was 16

I’d lived through nearly two decades without connecting with Black culture (Picture: Nicole Botha)

Performing in an Afrobeats dance at school, as I moved my body to the music, I couldn’t help but wonder: ‘Why am I in this?’

There was no doubt I was enjoying myself, I just couldn’t understand why I’d been chosen for this particular number. 

Afterwards, I asked my teacher what the casting process had been. ‘We wanted to feature all the Black dancers in the yeargroup,’ they replied, off-handedly.

Their response had rolled off the tong...