THEN COMES THE BODY: Roses grown from the concrete: How the aspiration of a Nigeria self-taught ballet teacher spring hopes unto future dreamers.

In the hustle and bustle of the dread, dust and dullness of the city concrete; a small sanctuary of dreamers exists within the cracks. What seems like a pipe dream and unrealistic to a conservative community of Western Lagos, Leap of Dance Ballet Academy is the place where dreamers spread their wings to fly out into the world of ballet. 

Then Comes the Body, directed by Jacob Krupnick and produced by Damilola Aleje, is an aspirational documentary short that follows the journey of Leap Of Dance Ballet Academy founder, Daniel Ajala, and how he paved the way for his ballet students to achieve their biggest dreams. After a viral video during the COVID-19 lockdown period featuring one of his students dancing on cement in the rain, Ajala’s student gave the world a lens through which to see the founder’s deep passion for the performance art of ballet. Ajala’s story reminds us of a truth as old as time: believe in yourself and the rest of the world will catch up. 

Almost every African child that has a passion in any form of the arts can relate to the pushback or criticism they often face from conservative elders who preach the “norm” and what is acceptable. In these backgrounds, the arts are not seen as a regulated industry like others; it is often difficult to sustain stability as one would build in a job that society deems as ‘stable and reliable’. However, Ajala, holding onto his dream of building a ballet house as great as the ones in the rest of the world, ploughed, planted, and watered the plants of the accomplishments his students achieved. His bravery and relentlessness empowers his students to cultivate the opportunities he wished he had. 

"Then Comes the Body" is a direct quote from the founder himself in the documentary --- “First comes the heart, then comes the body”. It is an affirmation that reminds his students to maintain their focus on dancing their hearts out, remembering that they have conquered the condemnation and criticisms from their own people in their home country. He instills for them to not be discouraged by the racism, classism and other prejudice they face. Ajala acts as a stalwart for his students, putting himself in the firing line in both local and international spaces that will offer his students the scholarships and career opportunities he believes they deserve. This unfailing belief inspires others to relentlessly fight for their truer passions, regardless of whether they will bear the fruits of their hardship because the real fight is for future generations to not suffer. 

This documentary is a cinematic love letter to the children of Africa who aspire to live their childlike dreams unapologetically and actualise them. With poetic images of young ballerinas unapologetically wearing their bright tights, leotards and ballet skirts in the muddy terrain of their hometown, a clear message is made: as Africans we dare to dream of soaring the skies of this world, a world that prefers to see us caged, but we must learn from our children and believe that we can all fly in a sky that covers us all. 

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Aphiwe Mdluli

Aphiwe Mdluli is a film critic, creative director, and Film & TV  Podcaster of her own podcast “In This Girl’s Mind” — produced by her very own  Media and Film Production company, ATHAYA Productions.  

Using her love for literature, critical analysis, and making the visual arts comprehensive for the greater public, Aphiwe prides herself in exploring the sociological impacts that film has on South African society. She believes in holding filmmakers accountable for their responsibility in publishing their works because of the film medium’s ability to shape narratives and ideologies as an artistic medium.  

In her recent works with Ellipsis Studios (a student-led filmmaking crew, who are in their graduation year of Film School), Aphiwe champions for young,  vibrant, and passionate filmmakers who want to resurrect the integrity in filmmaking. This is the core value that the Ellipsis group itself stands for.  

Aphiwe considers herself a patron for breaking boundaries where intentional,  attentive, and dedicated filmmakers can share their work that the world needs to see. She aims to be a part of the groundbreakers who will shape the film industry into what it was always meant to be: a space that platforms the vast array of authentic South African cinema and storytelling, beyond what it is currently known to be.