PICS: A much-needed boost for desperate dancers
TALENTED: An aspiring young dans couple and SO PRAGTIG: Beautiful new outfits for kids
More than 200 Cape dancers received dance shoes, competitive klere and scholarships at the Champion of Champions Dancesport Championships at Portia Primary Auditorium in Lansdowne this past weekend.
The annual competition is open to all dance talent in the Western Cape. Donations came from an US organisation, Heartsoles Foundation, as part of their ongoing support to young dancers from the townships.
Marion Baxter, chief executive officer of the South African Dance Foundation, said all dance sectors suffered severe setbacks as a result of the pandemic and are still sukkeling to recover.
“Dancing attire can be very expensive and we are constantly looking for shoes because at times, they don’t even have proper clothing let alone dance shoes. It is too expensive to make clothes so we share amongst one another,” Baxter explained.
“It is great that all 16 studios from the Western Cape benefited because the sponsorship comes at a time when the dancers most need it, and will make a valuable difference and assist with them realising their dreams.”
Deborah Holmes, co-founder of Heartsoles Foundation, said she has been to the country before and brought some shoes which she donated at a small competition.
“I’ve been to Africa many times and thought that Africa would be a great place because the dance community is quite large here. The scholarships were distributed between the various studios and will be used how they see fit,” Holmes said.
“Costumes are expensive everywhere but we brought what we could, and I believe it will go a long way because there are a lot of donations, almost 500 pairs of shoes and various costumes.”
One of the studios to benefit from this initiative is Mfuleni Dance School. Founder Thandeka Tofu said it received R2 000 which will be used for transport and competition entry fees.
“Our children will benefit a lot because it is difficult for them to go to competitions due to financial problems as most of their parents are not working,” Tofu added.
“Our NGO will use the donation for our next competition, including a trainer because we do not have money to pay a trainer.”
“We always need to host fundraisers unless we receive donations or sponsors from the community, but we are grateful to what we have received.”
The rest of the donations will be handed over to the dancers next week in Sun City at the Rumba in the Jungle dance competition.