Celebrated dancer and media personality Bontle Modiselle recently visited Botswana for the first time for the Forbes 30 Under 30 summit, and made time to sit down with popular podcaster, Tkay.
Modiselle and Tkay chopped it up on his podcast, “The Juice 2.0” where they spoke about the summit, motherhood and cleared up rumours among other topics.
“Botswana feels like home, it feels so familiar... The people are great, such a warm embrace, they are so hospitable, warm and accommodating so it’s not even about being a known person, it’s about people embracing people, so it’s been so dope,” said the “Bloodsisters” leader.
Last year, the Forbes 30 Under 30 summit organisers reached out to Modiselle’s dance studio to perform at the summit.
However, due to logistical challenges, she was unable to make it. This year they reached out again, asking her to be one of the speakers.
“They said, be a part of the conversation, be one of the panels and we going to talk about what it looks like to be a new entrepreneur, especially on the African landscape.
“To be acknowledged is fantastic, but also just to speak on it, especially on the work on dance, that’s where people know me from, but just generally on how I marry my professional world, creativity, personal life, and marry it on social media and technology, so it was very fun.”
The dancer continued to share that despite being in the industry for years, she likes to refer to herself as an “evolving artist” to allow herself the permission to “do whatever I want and be whoever I want at any point in my life”.
She said if at the age of 50 she decides to be a chef, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to people. She also referred to her industry friend, actress Pearl Thusi who recently became a DJ at a late age.
“I love that for her. It’s a clear example of someone not being afraid of being a student of life.”
Speaking on motherhood, she gave a shout out to her four-year-old daughter, Afrika Bonita Lerato Moloi.
“(Being a career woman and mother) is a balancing act that never ends, and every single day you’re needing to find ways to make it work. If I could spilt myself in to two or three, I would be there for my daughter 100% of the time, but having a supportive family helps.”
Modiselle’s advice to mothers and mothers-to-be was to take any help that is offered.
“I say this because four weeks after I gave birth, separation anxiety kicked because I had to be back to work and I just felt like I wasn’t a good mother. It was difficult, but it was necessary because you understand who and what you are doing it for, but also you need the support.
“Being a parent is exhausting. To emotionally, spiritually, physically, mentally avail yourself, but also to commit to raising a life outside of your own, it is no joke. So you need the hands, you need the support. I fully understand when they say ‘it takes a community to raise a child’.”
Addressing the long-standing rumour of herself and her rapper husband, Priddy Ugly, being in an open relationship, she said: “It’s not even true guys. MacG said it on his podcast which is not true. He kind of set that tone but it’s not a real thing.”
Watch the full podcast below: