Diana Ferrus launches captivating children's book about Johaar Mosaval

Dr Diana Ferrus, 71, recently launched her first children’s book, The Boy Who Loved to Dance, which tells the life story of the late Dr Johaar Mosaval (1928–2023), a pioneering South African Muslim ballet dancer.

The launch was held at the District Six Museum Homecoming Centre on Wednesday, July 16.

Dr Ferrus, an “impatient” writer was approached by Dusanka Stojakovic, managing director of New Africa Books - publisher who stumbled across a play called Dreaming dance in District Six: The Johaar Mosaval story, which she was going to review. “At that performance, I decided that the play had to be a children’s book.”

“At that performance I decided that the play had to be a children’s book,” said Ms Stojakovic. “This story is not a Disney story but about a man who lives down the street, who managed to climb the heights against all odds and it’s a story that inspired me.”

Dr Mosaval grew up in District Six under apartheid and later moved to Lansdowne. He had a natural talent for classical ballet and was invited by Dulcie Howes to join the University of Cape Town Ballet School, but apartheid laws prevented him from pursuing a career in dance in South Africa.

Dr Ferrus, a poet and author from Kuils River, said she was initially hesitant when Ms Stojakovic approached her to write the book, as she had never written for children before. “I am an impatient writer and when Dusanka said the book should only be 800 words, I grabbed the opportunity,” she said.

She completed the first draft of the story in two days. “I was also inspired by my childhood experiences of being deprived of books and stories, which then sparked the desire to create stories for children.”

Born in 1953 in Worcester, Dr Ferrus started writing poetry at the age of 14. She went on to study psychology and sociology at the University of the Western Cape in 1988.

Dr Ferrus, who holds a DPhil honoris causa awarded in 2022, is known for her poetry collections Ons komvandaan, I’ve Come to Take You Home – a tribute to Saartjie Baartman – and Die vrede kom later.

Dr Ferrus' parents always loved storytelling and literature and “they would read to us. However, because we could not afford to buy books we frequented the library,” and she developed a passion to write poetry.

Dr Ferrus only saw one of Dr Mosaval’s plays as the narrator in a play at the Baxter Theatre, which was about apartheid and lost dreams.

“That inspired me to imagine Johaar’s life, struggles, and triumphs. I also imagined myself becoming the dancer called Johaar as a young boy. In the first part of the book I imagined Johaar’s mother asking him to bring an extra glass for her guest, illustrations showed Johaar dancing and twirling to get the glass as if he was on stage and then putting the glass safely in his mother’s hand.”

She said the book took shape with input from several collaborators, including Tina Smith, exhibitions manager at the District Six Museum; Sharon Paulsen, ballet dancer and friend of Dr Mosaval; illustrator Archie Birch, and designer Rupert Pluck. 

The book took two years to be published and the story comes full circle of how a man who broke the social barriers of apartheid and rose above the challenges and to crown it all, two years before he died at the age of 95, he was awarded a Doctor of Music by UCT in 2021.

When asked why curious minds should buy this book, Dr Ferrus said: “This book is about perseverance, resilience, and self-belief in the face of oppression.

"Johaar’s story shows that talent and dreams should never be suppressed. The book is beautifully put together and appeals to both adults and children. It captures a time in history that many children today cannot imagine. It celebrates brilliance and serves as inspiration for future generations,” she said.

The book is written in English and Afrikaans. For more information about the book, email dferruswriter@gmail.com or you can get a copy of the book at The Book Lounge or at the District Six Museum.