21 Sep 2026

Lone Molefhi is a Motswana dancer who turned movement into a livelihood. She started far from the spotlight, with more grit than resources.

What she had was rhythm, stubborn passion, and a refusal to treat “home soil” as a ceiling. Dance moves paid the bills; resilience did the rest.
From local floors to global ones, Molefhi did not simply leave home - she took Botswana with her and made the world take notice.

“This is not a quiet come-up. This is a woman who earns her keep in motion, and who turned humble beginnings into a career that refuses to stay small,” she said.
She still remembers the moment dance stopped being something she merely enjoyed and became the centre of her life.

As a young girl at St. Mary’s English Medium Primary School, she was drawn to movement without any grand ambitions, until she watched her school’s dance instructor teaching Latin. The music, the energy and the confidence all struck her at once. She enrolled in the classes and, two weeks later, she was selected for the Diamond Cup Championships in Jwaneng, where she took first place.

That early victory changed everything. What had begun as playful movement turned into passion, then into serious pursuit. Between 2018 and 2021 she became known as Botswana’s Youth Latin Champion.

Years of training, competing and teaching followed regionally and internationally, especially in South Africa, where she sharpened her technique and discipline. Every competition was another chance to grow, observe and push further.

Teaching proved equally formative. At Moonlight Dance Studio, working alongside founder and former dance partner Alex Kgwedi, she planned lessons, created choreography, mentored students, handled media and marketing, organised classes and trips, and assessed progress.

Teaching forced her to break down movement, adapt to different learning styles and communicate knowledge clearly. Her students became a powerful source of motivation.

Throughout this period, she balanced the demanding schedule with a full-time 8-to-5 job in Botswana, most recently as executive assistant to the managing director at H & G Advertising. Before, she worked as a media & public relations intern.

Opportunities for high-level Latin and Ballroom training were limited at home, so she learned to be resourceful, maximising every chance to train, compete, observe and learn.

Remarkably, the move to Germany and to Born 2 Dance had been offered to her and her partner for several years.

They had been headhunted repeatedly but did not feel ready to leave. When they finally accepted, the decision transformed dance from a passionate side pursuit into a full-time career. Leaving behind the students and community she had helped build at Moonlight was not easy.

Europe opened her eyes to a different dance culture; one in which dance is deeply integrated into daily life, training is highly structured and consistent, and a network of private coaches, therapists, nutritionists and other specialists supports a dancer’s development. The environment demanded greater intentionality in her own training while she continued to give her best to students.

Language remained one of the biggest practical challenges. For now, she teaches primarily in English while learning German. Yet the diversity and welcoming atmosphere at Born 2 Dance has eased the barrier.

Her weekly life now revolves around teaching, personal training, competitive dancing, rehearsals and performances. She offers African Dance, African Jazz Contemporary and Latin American dance - the latter being her primary style.

As a young Motswana woman and woman of colour in the European dance world, she sees both challenges and opportunities. Rather than viewing her background as a limitation, she treats it as a strength she can bring into the space.

Through African Dance and African Jazz Contemporary, she shares elements of her heritage and injects African energy and passion into European studios.

Wherever dance takes her next, Molefhi is not travelling alone. She is taking a piece of Botswana with her, and using it to light the way for others. ENDS