Rampage Dance Company

A highly accomplished choreographer, dancer, and passionate advocate for the arts, founder of Rampage Dance Company, Iqraam Rahim, is dedicated to nurturing and empowering the next generation of South African creatives.

With a career as vibrant as his personality, Iqraam (affectionately known as Iky) has trained in India, performed alongside leading celebrities, and choreographed for top national and international films and productions. Most recently, Iky and his dance company, Rampage Dance Company, found their new home at FITPOD at the Ballito Lifestyle Centre, where he has discovered, “a vibey, inclusive community with an exciting, arty energy!” Born and bred on the North Coast, Iky grew up in Seatides, where he recalls having “the ocean in front of us, the airport behind us, and the fast-growing towns of Umhlanga and Ballito on either side.” Reflecting on his childhood, Iky says he loved being surrounded by diverse communities and drew inspiration from the many different people and cultures around him. The youngest of four children, he credits his slightly older (and wiser) parents with shaping his positive outlook on life. “Having three older siblings helped me feel secure in the world and gave me the confidence to go out and do what I wanted, in my own way,” he says.

Iky’s journey into the performing arts began in high school, when a teacher saw his potential and encouraged him to pursue drama. In Grade 10, he was selected to join the inaugural Robertson’s Young Performers Project at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre – a pivotal experience that ignited his love for musical theatre. “I realised there were so many opportunities in theatre – lighting, makeup, costumes, and of course, choreography,” he recalls. Even while completing his BCom in Business Management, Marketing and Information Systems at UKZN, Iky never let go of his artistic ambitions. After graduating, he persuaded his parents to let him pursue formal training at the Shiamak Davar Institute of Performing Arts in India – an experience he describes as life-changing. “India changed my life. I came back to South Africa determined to inspire people to bring dance into their everyday lives, and to highlight the difference between religion and culture,” he says.

Over the years, Iky has performed in numerous modern contemporary Indian dance productions at top venues across KZN, including the Playhouse Opera and Drama Theatres, the ICC, the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, and the Durban Exhibition Centre. By the age of just 24, he had already expanded his role from dancer to choreographer, producer, and director of large-scale productions. In 2010, he took the bold step of founding his own company, Rampage Dance Company, which continues to grow under his leadership.

Driven by his passion for nurturing a love of the arts in young people, Iky has coordinated several Eastern-style dance competitions across both private and government schools. “My goal has always been not only to strengthen the presence of the arts in Durban, but also to show that talent is not confined to any one social standing or age group,” he explains. Iky’s journey eventually led him into the education space when ASSITEJ Theatre for Young People invited him to collaborate with the Department of Education. Alongside other leading South African artists, he travelled across KZN, working with teachers and Heads of Department to help develop curriculum and introduce children to theatre and the arts. Today, he holds a full-time position at Maidstone Primary School, heading the Arts, while simultaneously managing his junior dance company at FITPOD and continuing his mission to inspire and nurture the next generation of creatives.

While he does run ‘Introduction To Dance’ workshops from time to time, Iky’s main focus is on finding talented young dancers who are ambitious about taking their dancing further and turning it into a career. He also offers bridal choreography and enjoys working with people of all ages who are serious about dancing.