Dance Company Biography

Prestige School of Dance is a multi-genre dance studio based in Makhanda, Eastern Cape. We specialize in ballet, tap, contemporary, and hip-hop dance. Our classes are taught by Nicole Joka, an Associate Member of the South African Body of Dance (SABOD – Former SADTA Stage Branch). In its 5 years of operation, Prestige has achieved many great strides: Awarded Top Performing Studio at the Master of Dance Competition in Port Elizabeth (2020) and has had two dancers qualify for both the Eastern Province Performing Arts Team and the South African Performing Arts Team (2019, 2020 & 2023). We regularly participate in performance opportunities in our province – Port Alfred Eisteddfod, Ultimate Performer (EL), Port Elizabeth Dance Festival (PEDF), and Friendly City Dance Festival. Our most recent showcase, Dance Spectrum, was thoroughly enjoyed by the local Makhanda.

Director & Choreographer Biography

Nicole Joka (24) is the owner and dance teacher at the Prestige School of Dance in Makhanda, EC. Her dance journey began at the tender age of 5 years old at the Melanie Huggins School of Ballet in Cape Town. Over the past 19 years, Nicole attributes much of her training and artistry to the teachers who devoted their time into her career – Linda Mills (Step Ahead Dance Academy), Wendy Foster (Buffalo City FET College Dance Department), and Carmen Davidson (Geraldine Cross School of Ballet). Nicole has trained in numerous dance styles, namely Ballet (RAD); Tap (SABOD); Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical and Jazz (SABOD); Hip-hop (SABOD), and Spanish Dance (Spanish Dance Society); and has performance experience in Ethnic Dance Styles as well – Afro-fusion, Is’ Pantsula and Gumboot dance. She has been a straight distinction candidate for dance examinations across all styles, with some of her results sitting in the 90s for Ballet, Tap and Spanish. As a child, Nicole was a part of the East London Youth Ballet (The Magical Bird – EL Guild Theatre), danced in The King and I (Directed by Michelle Brandenburger) and readily participated in workshops by Robin Van Wyk and Ballet Magnificat. Outside of her teaching, Nicole does freelance choreography, she has choreographed several tap dance pieces for the Vicky Luff’s Dynamic Dance Academy and Nicole Windell’s Steps of Style Dance Studio in East London, EC. In recent years, Nicole has focused on her competitive training. In that circuit, she has attained noteworthy accomplishments for: Most Promising Tap Dancer Trophy (2018 – PEDF), Highest Scoring Senior Tap Dancer Trophy (2019 & 2022 – PEDF); Qualified for the Eastern Province Performing Arts and South African Performing Arts Teams for Contemporary, Lyrical and Tap, achieved a gold medal at 93% at SA’s in 2019 (2019 & 2023 – SACOPA); and Trophy for Spanish Dance (2021 – PEDF). Aside from a tenacious dance career, Nicole Joka is graduate from Rhodes University, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science (BSocSci) in Afrikaans en Neerlandistiek, Psychology and Sociology; a BSocSci Honours in Psychology, and is also a qualified high school teacher!