Maxwell Xolani Rani

Maxwell Xolani Rani is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the director/founder of Luphiwo African Dance Academy. With a Master’s degree in Dance (Mmus), he developed the African dance technique Intsika ("the pillar"), focusing on strengthening and pedagogical frameworks. His expertise spans teaching and choreographing African dance and contemporary works across South Africa, Senegal, Mali, Namibia, Gambia, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, London, Brazil, Germany, United States, China, Jamaica, France, and Canada.

He has presented at conferences such as the DACI (Bahia, Brazil) and Confluences (Cape Town, South Africa), and taught at institutions like the Edna Manley School of the Arts (Kingston Summer School). Rani’s creative work includes choreography for films (The Last Face), operas (Porgy and Bess), and interdisciplinary theatre (Ingcwaba Lendoda, UHAMBO 1 & 2, Decolonising the African Dancing Body).