Wesley Hlongwane was in Johannesburg. Hlongwane began his performing arts journey at the age of 9 when he joined Amabhoza Theatre Crew in early 2008. While at Amabhoza Theatre, Hlongwane was introduced to multiple African Traditional dance genres including indlamu and umshongoyi. After his introduction to the performing arts industry continued to pursue his passion for dance. In 2009 he became a member of Keleketla library after school programme, where he participated in physical theatre which provided with facilitators skilled in multiple disciplines to pass on skills through the after-school programme. It was at Keleketla Library that Hlongwane was introduced to contemporary dance and movement and began his training. In 2011 Wesley performed in a contemporary dance production called Movement Mandela, choreographed & directed by Michael Shelton Machaya under Keleketla Library. In the year that followed he collaborated with former dance members of the library to form Mysterious Creatures Dance Fusion (MCDF). A youth movement with an objective to create a collaborative platform for young and upcoming artists. In 2012 Wesley and MCDF collaborated with 3rd year Art students from Wits University, a group of learners from Freedom Community College called Educationally Active Students (EAS), he performed and participated in We Are One March and Teen Talk where he had a special performance with Ntsikelelo Nyaniso Dzedze inside the prison cells at Constitutional Hill.
In 2013, Wesley and MCDF did a series of performances and showcases including the Secrets of the Streets and Ice Cream as part of an exchange with Art Assassins, a group of young artists from South London Gallery(UK). In that same year, Wesley performed in The Donkey Child, written & directed by Lindiwe Matshikiza (Don Key Child). It was on the second edition of the Donkey Child performance at the National School of the Arts’ Festival of Fame in 2014 that Hlongwane got recognition from educators and facilitators at the school and was offered an opportunity to audition and to finally enter the National School of Arts.