Dada Masilo (21 February 1985 – 29 December 2024) was a South African dancer and choreographer, known for her unique and innovative interpretations of classical ballets.

[2][4] She saw her her first classic ballet at the time, Tchaikovsky' Swan Lake; she fell "in love with tutus and pointe shoes", and the performance prompted her interest in choreography.

When asked in 2022 about her tendency to focus on "controversial subjects" such as homophobia, Masilo stated "From that moment, I made it a point to try and make people understand it’s a choice.

[1] She transformed classic ballets into "powerfully grounded, hip-shaking, moves of African dance" to tell stories of modern-day characters who suffer issues such as discrimination, inequality and domestic violence.

[6][10] She received a Premio Positano Léonide Massine, an Italian lifetime achievement award for classic and contemporary dance, in September 2024.