Teen talent named Forever Changed Brand Ambassador

Up-and-coming 15-year-old actor JC Du Toit’s career has skyrocketed in an incredibly short space of time. The recent winner of Mr Personality and 1^st Prince at the Mr and Miss Willowridge High School competition, JC has also been selected as an ambassador for the Forever Changed cancer awareness campaign. The talented teenager is not only aiming to make his mark as a performer, but is totally committed to raising awareness for a worthy cause – Forever Changed.

Du Toit became interested in the world of entertainment at a young age. As a child, he was fascinated by movies. He would watch TV for hours on end. “I love powerful characters and good storylines. I was mesmerised by movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas,” notes Du Toit. “I would rerun the scenes in my head and act them out.”

At the age of 10, Du Toit asked his mom if he could take drama classes. At first, she wasn’t convinced. She thought it was a passing phase, but he kept asking and showing interest. He also took part in all his school productions. Eventually, she realised he was serious. The school’s drama teacher encouraged him, realising his potential. Eventually, his mom contacted Melissa Lottering, a professional acting coach, who immediately saw his incredible talent.

The rest of the story follows a whirlwind of acting classes and auditions. Lottering introduced Du Toit to casting agent Addi Lang. “JC has a natural ability to act. He is determined to do his best to make his mark on the entertainment industry,” says Lang. "He is well on his way to being a sought-after performer.”

Du Toit has also been selected to attend the Applause Rising Talent Showcase (ARTS) held in the USA in July 2016. ARTS is a highly competitive talent showcase. “We are proud of what JC has accomplished in a short time,” says Lang, “and we are thrilled to have his voice behind the Forever Changed cancer awareness campaign as one of our acclaimed brand ambassadors. He is incredibly talented, and his natural empathy and willingness to be part of an international campaign will be highly beneficial for all involved.”

As part of his role as an ambassador, Du Toit will assist in creating awareness for the 
campaign  through community events. Brand ambassadors may choose to arrange a 
screening  of the Forever Changed documentaries, or set up a talent contest at their school 
or in their community. 

JC is the first ambassador to be hosting the Dance of The Butterfly event on 28 May 2016 
in South Africa with guest  performers Robyn Angela Leal, Winston and Delia Ho and 
Jezriel Skei. 

“Being a Forever Changed Brand Ambassador means I can make a difference by helping those who have been affected by cancer.”  Du Toit is thrilled to be involved in a cause that is close to his heart “because this campaign can change so many people and their perceptions, and can save lives”

His career to date has included several auditions for a selection of films, TV shows and print advertising campaigns, including the Ford Motor Company and Rand Merchant Bank. “I will always be grateful to Addi Lang for her guidance and help in getting my career going,” says Du Toit.

Mystic India

Travel to the heart and soul of India on a wave of brilliant colours, signature sounds, sensual fragrances and explosive energy. Mystic India: The World Tour is a masterpiece that has left audiences worldwide in breathless awe. It’s a true dance spectacle complete with world-class dancers, renowned musicians, opulent costumes, extravagant sets, and mesmerising visual effects.

The internationally acclaimed Bollywood music and dance spectacular is based on the concept of ancient India’s transition into modern India. Your senses are joyously overwhelmed with everything that is India from Hindu gods and traditional festivals, to life in rural villages, and the evolution of Bollywood. Whether you have visited India or not, you will leave the theatre, feeling like you’ve known India your whole life.

Mystic India: The World Tour is directed and choreographed by the prominent choreographer and production master, Amit Shah, and produced by US-based AATMA Performing Arts, of which Shah is the founder and creative director.

Book your tickets now at Computicket to see Mystic India: The World Tour, in association with Zee TV, at the Teatro, Montecasino from 29 April to 1 May 2016. It's a must-see show of the year!

Review by Andrea Vermaak.

Let your feet speak for your heart

National Tekkie Tax Day has been part of the South African calendar for the last three years and this time around we're celebrating it on Friday 27 May. This campaign gives you the opportunity to show with your feet where your heart lies. Choose your sticker for a cause close to your heart, spunk up your tekkies with a funky pair of our Tekkie Tag shoelaces and you are ready for National Tekkie Tax Day!

The campaign started in 2013 when a few of South Africa’s biggest and most accountable welfare organisations joined forces. Marieta Kemp, Director Social Services from the SAVF says, “The large number of welfare organisations involved helps us to keep the costs structure low and this will ensure that the maximum of donations can be used by us to deliver our services on grass roots level.”

There are 11 National Beneficiaries and they represent more than 1000 local non-profit organisations.

·         Epilepsy SA

·         Child Welfare SA

·         SOS Children's Villages

·         CHOC (Childhood Cancer Foundation)

·         Special Olympics SA

·         CANSA

·         Imisebeyelanga Services

·         Meals on Wheels

·         VVA

·         NG Welsyn

·         SAVF

Tekkie Tax raised more than R13,7 million and the impact on ground level is remarkable. Gary Westwood, Director of Epilepsy SA in the Free State and North West provinces says,  “We used our Tekkie Tax donations in serving persons with epilepsy and other disabilities in our residential care facilities.” Imisebeyelanga Services used their Tekkie Tax donations to purchase tables and chairs for some of their Early Childhood Development centres. Samaritan's Feet SA bought shoes for the needy. The list is long and these are only a few examples of how the donations were utilised in the past. 

There is really no excuse not to participate in this year’s campaign. The stickers (R10 each) are available at all Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores. The Tekkie Tag shoelaces (R35) are available from all Clicks stores. There are also more than 250 participating non-profit organisations selling these items and together they aim to convince every South African to be part of the fun. Orders can also be placed online via the Tekkie Tax website: www.tekkietax.co.za.

The media, a whole bunch of celebrities, hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals have pledged their support to the campaign. I hope to add you to the list! 

Walk the extra mile for a welfare organisation close to your heart by wearing your sticker of choice on Friday 27 May and spunk up your tekkies with a pair of funky Tekkie Tag shoelaces. There is really no excuse – put your best foot forward and support National Tekkie Tax Day!

Press release by Tekkie Tax.

Only large talk Of Monsters and Men

Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir
Photo: Chelsea Ann Chalmers

Seed Experiences have organised some of the greatest, chilled out and super vibey events in South Africa, and they’re just getting better and better. The latest event that Andrea Vermaak, editor of Supernova, the mag for curious kids, could attend was the Sowing the Seeds Music and Lifestyle Festival, featuring Jungle, and the amazing Of Monsters and Men. The event took place at Emmarentia Dam on 2 April 2016. Supporting acts included local greats BCUC, December Streets, and the Matthew Mole.

Emmarentia Dam is the perfect venue for music festivals. You can take a picnic basket to enjoy with friends and family, while you to sit back and bask in the mesmerising sounds of the greatest local and international bands. If you forget to pack lunch, there are a variety of gourmet food stalls for even the most discernible tastes, including yummy gluten free pancakes!

Ragnar Thorhallsson
Photo: Chelsea Ann Chalmers

The music, however, is what makes each event so special. From The Lumineers to The Kooks, George Ezra, Ben Howard, Passenger, and many more, Seed Experiences makes sure that they know what SA music lovers want, and they deliver.

Of Monsters and Men was no exception. Hailing from Iceland, the indie folk band sounded as great live as on their albums. Vocalists and guitarists Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Thorhallsson were simply…magical. They took us on a journey far away across the snow-topped mountains of their country with hit single favourites ‘Little Talks’, ‘Mountain Sound’ and ‘Dirty Paws’, among others. They were one of very few bands that also genuinely seemed to enjoy the crowd as much as the crowd enjoyed them.

Everyone left with songs in their hearts. We can’t wait to see what Seed Experiences has to offer next!

For more information:

Facebook: /SowingTheSeedsSA

Twitter: @SowingTheSeedSA

Instagram: @SowingTheSeedsOfficial

Review by Andrea Vermaak

Explore this festive season with your safety in check

Grant Thesis, Co-founder of ttrumpet

It’s the time of the year that we all look forward to – yes, it is the December holidays.  A time of fun where some of you go on family vacations around the country and others stay home and relax – but that doesn’t mean it can’t, and won’t be, exciting.

The holidays should be an opportunity to explore places and enjoy some free time with friends and family.

Of course, while you are out exploring and having fun, don’t forget to make sure you are always safe and that your parents know where you are.

Because, even though this holiday time – no more homework, no after school activities and of course no early morning wake-ups – you still need to be responsible about your own safety.  Especially, as over this time, criminal activity can increase. So you can’t blame parents for those phone calls, every now and again, to check that you are safe, when you are at the mall or the ice rink.

So to make sure you can enjoy your holiday to the fullest, there are ways for you to help your parents relax, while you go out with your friends. In fact, there are app’s available online that can actually help here.

ttrumpet is an app that is easy to use and lets to your family and friends, know exactly where you are, all via your phone – but of course only once you have given them permission. For instance, through this app, you can automatically tell your family and friends where you are or where you are visiting, and you can even share pictures along the way in real-time – all privately and for free, if they are using ttrumpet as well?

So, if you are visiting a theme park in Cape Town or even going to the Kruger National Park, this app allows you to share experiences with your chosen friends along your journey – as often as you want – and they can also tag you along the journey. Also, with this app, if you are visiting a friend’s house or just going to the mall, it will ‘tell’ your parents, when you have arrived safely or when you are at home – so they don’t need to keep calling you.

And, if you are ever in any trouble, you can press a panic button, which sends an alert to your top five contacts, telling them that there is a problem and your exact location.

So this holiday, if you are looking for a app that not only gives you a private chat room (friends only), but can keep you safe – and keep you updated about the latest places to shop, eat or hang out – try ttrumpet – is easy and its free – just don’t forget to stay safe online.

In fact, I would say that the top 8 top tips to help keep you safe while you are online, are:

· Investigate the app you would like to download first – make sure it’s a real app that is well used.

· Keep your personal information private when you register as a user.

· If you don’t know the person – don’t trust them – when you are online.

· Think before you click.

· Watch out for spam scams.

· Don’t share private pictures online, as they always remain online.

· Manage your friend’s list on social media platforms, only chat to people you actually know.

· Always log out from social media platforms when you are done using them.

Having fun in the December holidays is important, but so is staying safe. So make it easy – and use your mobile, to help keep you in touch and safe. 

By Grant Thesis, Co-Founder of ttrumpet  

The Form and Function of Gangs of Ballet

Supernova, the mag for curious kids caught up with Gangs of Ballet frontman Brad Klynsmith to chat about their new EP Form and Function, and about life as a musician.

Gangs of Ballet (Photo by Craig Scott)

What does ‘Gangs of Ballet’ mean?

It is the result of a childhood story that involved dancers, ninjas and Super Moos.

Is it scary, exciting, or a bit of both to release a new album?

Any time you release new art it's really vulnerable. You put a little part of you out there and wait for the thumbs up or thumbs down.

Gangs of Ballet, Form and Function

What new lessons have you learnt with the release of each album?

The biggest lesson we're really trying to learn, and it sounds strange, is to 'be less perfect'. Not in an arrogant way, but in a digital age, our music is too perfect. It is all edited and pushed into perfect time, and every sound is massive and clean and quantized. You have this pressure to play it flawlessly so people don't think you're a bad musician and you forget that the impurities are what give it character.

What do you enjoy the most about being in a band?

Love the travel, although it can be tough, and the flexitime aspect where we get to do what we love and get paid to do it.

What are some of the challenges in this line of work?

Travel, family, staying relevant in a high paced industry, and social media demands.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you on tour?

You're always faced with a few crazies, which keeps things interesting.

Where would your dream performance be?

Gangs of Ballet (Photo by Craig Scott)

Any and every stadium!

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Hopefully with a significant career overseas.

Fun questions:
What is the craziest place to listen to music?

In a library... Extreme.

What was your favourite book as a child?

My adventures with Meg the hen, Ben the dog and Deb the rat! 

Interview by Andrea Vermaak 

Shark: Be awestruck

Exclusive interview with Steve Greenwood

We featured sharks in 'The Nova Red List' in Supernova vol. 3.2. Now, Supernova, the mag for curious kids had the privilege of interviewing Steve Greenwood, the producer of a new BBC Earth series, Shark.

Shark is a major wildlife series on the sharks of the world with over thirty species filmed, showing how they hunt, interact, court, and grow up, as well as the threats they face.

Shark, BBC Earth

How is Shark different from other television series on sharks?

Shark is very different from other TV shows on sharks. We filmed 30 species of shark and ray in dozens of countries around the world. We really are a global series. Our aim was to show the huge diversity of these wonderful creatures. We also filmed all aspects of their lives – from courtship and mating to how the young grow up and how they navigate the oceans. Most shark shows just concentrate on predation, but that is just one part of their lives.

Steve Greenwood

What did you learn about sharks (or a shark species) that you did not know before?

So many things! I was particularly amazed finding out how few young they have and how long they take to develop. Lemon sharks have just a dozen or so young every other year. Their babies even have belly buttons!

What was the most exciting moment the team experienced during filming?

We filmed ragged tooth sharks inside a shipwreck off the coast of the USA. We dived into the hold of this sunken ship and found ten or more sharks inside! But they were not at all interested in us.

Did you find yourselves in any frightening situations?

We spent 2600 hours filming sharks, but never had a single dangerous encounter. The most dangerous thing was the weather. We had a couple of hurricanes and a typhoon while filming.

Shark, BBC Earth

I’m sure you’ll agree that we are more of a threat to sharks than they are to us. Do sharks face any major threats besides humans?

I certainly agree that we are far more of a threat to sharks than the other way round. Sharks have few natural predators, though killer whales and seals may go for them. As their natural food is very often fish, my guess would be that declining fish stocks would be a very large threat.

Why is it so important to look after our sharks?

Sharks are top predators in the ecosystem of the sea. We know that on land if top predators, like wolves or big cats, are taken out of ecosystems, it can have a big effect on other species. It follows that the same effect will happen in the sea.

What can we, even children, do to help save threatened species?

There are lots of ways to help. Most importantly, take an interest in sharks and find out more about them. Tell your friends and family all the cool facts about them. If people say that sharks are horrible and scary then tell them they are fascinating, smart and complicated creatures, and humans pose more of a threat to them than the other way round. The first step in conservation is changing attitudes. As you get older, you may want to learn how to snorkel or scuba dive, then you could go and watch sharks in the wild. How cool is that?

 

Which shark of the thirty species filmed is your favourite and why?

Can I choose three favourites? The hammerhead looks the most amazing. The great white has the most incredible predation when it breaches out of the water when chasing seals. But my overall favourite is the manta ray as they are so beautiful, and they look at you with those big eyes with real intelligence. They also look as though they are from outer space!

Shark, BBC Earth

Shark premieres on Sunday 6 December 2015 at 16h00 on BBC Earth (DStv Channel 184).

 

Interview by Andrea Vermaak (Editor of Supernova, the mag for curious kids)