Melanie Kisten: from aspiring paediatrician to actress and dance academy founder

AT 45, Melanie Kisten stands as a beacon of inspiration and empowerment in the South African arts and entertainment scene. 

Born and raised in Chatsworth, Kisten has transformed her early dreams of becoming a paediatrician into a career that encapsulates dance, acting, and entrepreneurship.

Kisten, who now resides in Cape Town, and is an account manager at a freight forwarding company, said her path had its ups and downs but she stood tall and took charge of her career.

"I was born and raised in the vibrant community of Chatsworth. I have many fond memories of the township; one of the fondest, and flashiest, was rocking up to school in my dad Sagy's army truck or nyala. 

"He was in the army and police force, so he occasionally rolled up in one of those big, tough, military-style beasts. The moment that truck pulled into the school gates, it was like a celebrity had arrived. Kids would literally run to surround it like I was some kind of action movie star. For a brief, glorious moment every morning, I was the most popular girl in school and all thanks to my dad’s fancy ride." 

Kisten is the eldest of four sisters. There is also Melissa, Michelle and Marsha. Her mom Devi is a retired accountant. 

"The Kisten family is loud, loving, and full of rhythm. My sisters and I are all dancers and actors thanks to me roping them into the beautiful madness that is MKDA - the Melanie Kisten Dance Academy. I think dancing is in our blood. Our parents were quite the dancers back in their day, and though they are now happily retired, their love for the arts have clearly passed down to all of us." 

She said while growing up she did not have ambitions of becoming an actress, or a dancer. 

"My career choice was to be a paediatrician. I loved kids and always used to be the baby sitter when family and friends' kids came over. However, as fate would have it, I didn’t get the opportunity to study medicine but instead got a job as a receptionist in a logistics company as soon as I finished school.

"I continued from there to study toward a Bcom degree, but as time went on, I started to enjoy the logistics industry as no two days are ever the same. So the love for logistics began and here I am now, 27 years in the logistics industry, climbing onto different roles on the corporate ladder." 

She said her first real role as an actress, in Ronnie Govender's play Mango Leaf Magic, happened by chance. 

"I was peeking into the drama class one day, curiously watching auditions from the sidelines, when the teacher spotted me and said, 'You look like you're enjoying this, why not give it a go?' I thought, why not? The next thing I know, I landed the lead role. I was chuffed. There was even a dance sequence in the play, which ended up being my first-ever professional dance and drama performance. Before that, it was all school concerts, debs balls, and the usual school showbiz." 

She went on to feature in Tuckshop by Pranesh Maharaj and Anesh Dusruth; and Sapno Ka Safar by Tansen Nepaul. 

With stars in her eyes, Kisten said she soon learnt the downside to entertainment.

"One day, we saw an advert in the newspaper about a new dance school. My mum enrolled my youngest sister and me. Within a few months, I had impressed the teacher enough to be included in her dance troupe. It felt like my dreams were starting to come alive. But just as quickly, that joy was shattered. I overheard a comment that they were not planning to take me on future shows because I was 'chubby and dark'. I was heartbroken and I left the school.

"When my dad found out why, I’ll never forget what he said: 'If my daughter loves dancing so much, I’ll start a school for her where anyone, no matter their shape, size, or skin tone, will feel like they belong'. And that’s how the MKDA was born in February 1996. Next year, the MKDA will proudly celebrate 30 years in the entertainment industry. 

"When we started, I had just two students. But I didn’t give up. That very same year, we grew to 30 students and staged our first show with the love and support of my incredible parents and my uncle Lenny. I still remember the night of that first performance. When the curtain came down and we took our bow, I cried uncontrollably because at just 16 years old, I knew I had achieved something meaningful.

"My dad used to pitch a marquee in our yard every Saturday so we would have a space to rehearse. From that humble tent, the MKDA had grown into a thriving academy with venues across Durban going from 30 students to over 300, and from one small class to 10 full-scale classes each year for both kids and adults." 

The natural progression was writing her first stage production Kambakht Ishq - Doomed Love which was staged in 2010.  

"It was a great feeling leading this production. There was a lot to handle from directing to marketing to choreography, outfit designs, casting and producing and playing the lead actress. But they say experience is the best teacher and the knowledge this production gave me set my path for future projects. After this, we did productions yearly since 2010." 

This included Big Amma's House; The Bread, The Porridge and the Mix Masala; and Who's The Boss?. 

But her story does not end there. 

She featured in a small role in the series Imbewu and as a dance teacher in the movie The Curse of Highway Sheila. She is probably best remembered for her role as The Crab Aunty in the first of the Kandasamys franchise. 

"I took my daughter for an audition and one of writer's asked if I would be interested in auditioning. I was like okay. For the fun of it, I will give it a try. To my surprise, they called me a week later to advise that I was cast in the role of The Crab Aunty. Lots of people now call me The Crab Aunty. It's so funny for me though because crab curry is actually my favourite seafood dish and enjoying that curry on set was no act. It was absolutely delicious." 

Kisten was recently featured in Lucky Fish by Meren Reddy. 

"It was a small role, but hey, big laughs and good vibes. I had an absolute blast on set. Clearly, seafood is my thing. First I was The Crab Aunty, now I’m in Lucky Fish." 

If there is something you have never known about Kisten, it's this: "I was around 30 years old when I became the first runner-up in the Miss India pageant held at the iconic Durban City Hall. Funny thing is, I was never really into pageants, probably because I had spent much of my younger life being body-shamed, so I stayed far away from that world. But something changed when I saw some of my own students facing similar struggles at school. I wanted to show them that beauty is not about fitting a mold, it’s about embracing who you are."

She followed this with competing in Miss Uniworld in 2019. 

"To my total surprise, that night I walked away not just with the title of Mrs Uniworld, but also with awards for Best Talent, Mrs Humanitarian, and Mrs Congeniality. I also won a life coaching course that has since helped me empower others." 

Kisten is married to Aiden Naidoo, a businessman. They have two children - Saiesha, 19, studying in university, and Saieshan, 17, who is in matric. 

Her motto: "Normal is boring, so live life a quarter mile at a time. You only die once, but you get a chance to live every single day. Make it count. Live boldly, love deeply, and never settle for ordinary." 

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