United in harmony, the choir headed to Sumcay Camp site for their annual choir camp, running from 24-26 March 2017. This camp was a first for quite few “newbies” and a last for the more senior members – the matrics. The camp saw the choristers uniting in more than just song, but in dance too!
The girls were taught a gumboot dance routine by Zola and Siba from NMMU where they produced sound and rhythm, not with their golden voices this time, but by their hands and calves. The gumboot dance was a new and exciting experience for the girls and they thoroughly enjoyed stepping out of their comfort zones. However, after waking up with aching bodies, bruised calves and sore hands the girls made a unanimous decision that although Gumboot was a cool dance genre, it certainly had no place in their lives. No thank-you!
One of the camp highlights was the talent show – under the theme of “A Night at the Oscars” – where acts varied from re-enactments of adverts such as the MTN Nightshift, to a throwback to the “ABC” Jackson 5 era and re-enactments of popular movies like the Dreamgirls. Although all the performances were entertaining, some stood out above the rest:

• The Oscar for Best Group Performance: Octavia Johannes, Aton de Vos, Phumza Mandla, Lumka Matutu, Busisiwe Setlai, Sibabalo Mene and Zezethu Mthirara
• The Oscar for Most Entertaining Performer: Robyn Japhtha
• The Oscar for Best Supporting Actress: Tarryn Barry
• The Oscar for Most Oustanding Actress: Sihlumile Majombozi
• The Award for the Most Promising Dancer: Anesipho Malinga

The “gwijo” and dance sessions in the hall after a rehearsal were definitely some of the most memorable and treasured moments of the camp. This was the camp that watered the seeds of passion amongst the choristers and fuelled an already burning fire for song.
Special thanks go to Mrs Elie, Miss Mintoor and Mrs Mampoma for organizing the camp and accompanying us, as well as to Mrs Gerber for coming to take photographs and film videos of us.