A blow for South Africa’s dance sector as well-known choreographer and teacher David April dies

By Edward Tsumele

South Africa’s beloved choreographer, dancer, teacher and photography enthusiast has left the arts community in general and the dance sector in shock and morning as he died on Saturday.

The circumstances surrounding his passing have not yet been communicated. April death has however left many a dancer, choreographer and artist in shock. Known for his collegial and good manners when it comes to his interactions with fellow creative, April over the years became a shining light to many a dancer, their teacher and mentor.

Having hailed from Northern Cape as a young dance aspirant, his dance boots were polished at Moving Into Dance in Newtown where dance education pioneer Sylvia ‘Magogo” Glasser made sure that young, especially black people were not left out of the beautiful art of dance because of their circumstances. April was one of them. At the time of his death, he was a lecturer in cultural policy and administration at University of Pretoria, having acquitted a masters’ degree in cultural policy at Wits in recent years.