Dalen Lance tells his Project Me Story - Project Me post 886

Dalen Lance has been wowing television audiences across the spectrum of broadcasters since 2001. Having started off as the Presenter of Bling on SABC2, resulting in him catapulting into various other productions on the channel over the years and working with acclaimed television directors such as Eugene Naidoo. Hot on the heels of his success as television host of Mnet?s reality hit, High School Musical Spotlight South Africa he also was ranked as one of the Top Ten People in Television for 2008 by The Saturday Independent Newspaper.

Recently the voice of the above-the-line advertising campaign for Disney's? South African stage production, High School Musical Live on Stage, produced by veteran Stage Producer Pieter Toerien and Hazel Feldman. Dalen was heard on all major radio stations, television channels and cinema announcing the national roll-out of the musical with young local actors who were selected during the reality series. The Johannesburg-based entertainer started off as a 12-year old singer/songwriter in Atlantis, 45 minutes outside Cape Town. Reaching the top 50 in Idols 2002 and the top 30 in Popstars 2003 spurred the aspirant artist on to release his first recording album, Be Your Man in 2006, all while studying full-time and successfully completing his BComm degree at the University of Cape Town. The funky urban R&B tracks of the album were well received by young South Africans and charted high on the SABC?s afternoon music slots on Yo-TV, together with the associated music videos. Dalen Lance has in addition recorded material with several South African recording labels and radio stations such as Mama Dance Music, In Tyme and Good Hope FM.

He has co-produced material with high-profile SA musicians such as Michael Manitshani (Carla Diamond; Loyiso; Danny K), Brotherhood Productions, and Ben Amato. In addition to High School Musical, his television credits include Pap Idols on SABC, a guest host slot on 20 Something on eTV and appearances on Fishy Fashions, This Life, SOS and Cave Girl (a BBC Production).

Feature film credits include Dollars and White Pipes and Zenon 3. Stage credits have included the lead role in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dream-coat, Curl Up & Dye, Orphans of Qumbu and Ugly Duckling. His resume includes a range of TV commercials, voice-overs, corporate work, industrial theatre, compere work and ongoing stints as floor-show host at Grand West, Gold Reef City and Silverstar Casinos. He has been nominated in 2005 and 2006 as Best Youth Male TV Presenter at the SA Kids Choice Awards, and has since been selected as an Ambassador to the Starfish Charity Organisation in South Africa, joining the stable of ambassadors which include Lucas Radebe.

Dalen tells his project me story:

1. What is your definition of happiness?
   Being completely at peace with where you are in life and within yourself. Happiness is one of those definitions that changes over time depending what you value. When I was much younger those were financial and career success. Today as I mentioned above, my happiness is anchored in things that make me smile and being able to add value to peoples lives.

2. If you could have everyone say one thing to themselves every day, what would it be?
   ?If God is love and God is inside of me, therefore I am love.?

3. We all need someone to believe in us. Who is that person for you and why?
   I?ve been blessed to have many such people, but more specifically it would be my mom and dad, together with my siblings. My closest friends (of which there are only a few) are also great pillars of strength.

4. What quality do you believe we can never be taught because it is our birth right?
   Innocence ? this is a quality that inherently comes with being born but over time one can be robbed of it. If one loses innocence, it can hardly ever be regained but it becomes apparent only in the choices we make day by day. (as such it becomes a conscious effort)

5. Describe the moment when you realised that you could achieve anything?
   The day I was informed that I was amongst the Top 4 of my MBA class. Having drawn a veil over my finance skills, I thought it would never be possible, but 5 distinctions later, I was incredibly proud at how resilience and effort can amount to success.

6. What have you always dreamed of being or doing and have you reached that dream?
   I always hope to be a global star, and that hasn?t happened yet. However, my aim now is to focus on doing what I do, and doing it really well. That ambition is secondary to the love I have for television.

7. When life gets in the way, what do you always remind yourself of?
   The sacrifices that my parents had made to change the course of their own offspring for the better.

8. We all have something unique to offer the world, what is yours?
   I?m not sure if it is unique, but I do think that by being a progressive thinker, believer in education, warm and passionate individual, that somehow I can touch the lives of those around me.

9. How do you deal with the fears that could potentially hold you back?
   I tend not to think of them and now prefer to consider how to continue breaking down barriers.

10. What do you believe we have lost sight of in the world as a whole?
    I strongly believe that we have lost our humanity; although many good stories of people helping and connecting with others are being heard. It?s so important to realise that regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, cultures? we are all connected because of our shared humanity.