Dada Masilo was born and grew up in Soweto, a township of Johannesburg, South Africa. She tragically passed away in December 2024 at the age of 39. She began formal training at The Dance Factory at the age of 11. At the age of 19, she was accepted as a student at the Performing Arts Research and Training Studios in Brussels, where she remained for two years. She returned to South Africa and in 2008, was awarded the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Dance. Three commissions from the National Arts Festival resulted in her ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (2008), ‘Carmen’ (2009) and ‘Swan Lake’ (2010).
Subsequent works include ‘Giselle’ and ‘The Sacrifice’. Since 2012, Masilo’s works have been performed across the globe in Europe, USA, UK and Ireland.
Her many accolades include a Bessie Award nomination in 2016 for Swan Lake, the Danza&Danza Award for Best Performance 2017 for Giselle, the Prince Claus Next Generation Award 2018 and the 2020 UK Critic’s Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Female Modern Performance in the title role as Giselle. In September 2024 she accepted an Italian lifetime achievement award for classic and contemporary dance at the Premio Positano Léonide Massine for the Art of Dance.
Dada Masilo’s ‘Hamlet’ premiered at ImpulsTanz Vienna in 2024. Having always performed in her works, for ‘Hamlet’ she trained other dancers in her role as Ophelia and the company will continue to honour her legacy by presenting her latest work on the world’s stages.