On March 1st and 2nd, I went to Johannesburg (along with a number of dancers from Durban!) to attend workshops given by Mahmoud Reda. At 78, he remains an inspiration to dancers around the world.

Besides being a legend in the dance world, Mahmoud Reda represented Egypt in the Olympic Games in 1952 (Helsinki). He was the first gymnast in Egypt to incorporate dance steps into his free exercise gymnastic routine.

Mahmoud Reda is a pioneer of dance theatre in Egypt. Soloist, choreographer and director of hundreds of productions, Mahmoud has toured in more than 60 countries, performing on the world's most prestigious stages.

His first love of sport soon took second place to dance. Brother Ali would dance Rock 'n Roll, Swing, Samba, Rhumba. Then came the movies with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and he would watch the same movie maybe 30 times, using the news and cartoon time to complete his studies.

The Reda Troupe opened on August 6th 1959 in an open air theatre with the help of Mahmoud's brother Ali, his father-in-law and composer Ali Ismail. Mahmoud's wife Nadida designed the costumes and her sister Farida became principal dancer.

These days, Mahmoud tours the world, giving workshops and inspiring a new generation of dancers. In 2001 at a workshop in Los Angeles, 270 students attended. In 2002 in Argentina, 620 people turned up and video screens, a stage and microphones were added so that everyone could see and hear.

Two years after starting the Reda Troupe, Mahmoud and his artists became employees of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. Unfortunately, this meant that at age 60, Mahmoud had to retire and the government kept the Reda Troupe. But, as Mahmoud says, "they are taking the shadow because I am Mahmoud Reda. If I go to America and live there, I will have the Reda Troupe around me. If I go to Switzerland, I can make the Reda Troupe in Switzerland."

At the workshops in Johannesburg, in between the drills, and the combinations, and the steps (and the mistakes), we sat at Mahmoud Reda's feet while he told us a little of his past. And for a moment, we became the South African Reda Troupe.