Episode Information

Shot over eight years, Dancing for Akeeda is a feature-length documentary that introduces the world to Faakhir Bestman – a young ballet dancer born in one of the most deprived townships of South Africa who lives to dance. Part City of God and part Billy Elliot, this is a story of transcendent talent blooming in a ghetto stricken by a drug epidemic and brutal violence. We’ve followed the journey from his discovery by a local teacher, to the crushing death of his beloved sister Akeeda, through the knock backs and failed try outs, on to London and New York. Now, after 4 years the National School for the Arts in Johannesburg, Faakhir is turning 18 and has just won a place at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet in New York. His dream is about to become reality.