A dance crew from Bonteheuwel beat the odds to come out tops at the 021 Best Community Crew competition held in Athlone on Saturday.
With no venue to practise, the Rebel Dance Academy (RDA) crew rehearsed their moves on the streets and in people’s yards.
The breakdance crew also won the Senior Duo category and came second and third place respectively in the Junior Duo section.
They battled other crews from Mitchells Plain, Elsies River, Retreat,
Lavender Hill and Atlantis at Alexander Sinton High School.
Founder Wesley Bosch, 27, who was also competing, says it was an
emotional moment when he and his partner were named best duo of the competition.
“We left our hearts out on that stage and we did it especially for the team,” he says.
“After our performance, both of us broke out into tears and our crew joined us in tears, because as they say, one band, one sound.”
He says they would practise at the multi-purpose hall but after the hall was commandeered as a quarantine centre, they had nowhere to go.
He says when it was deemed safe they’d practise in the street and at other times they’d ask mense to use their yards.
The dance crew was started two years ago and is home to over 30 dancers from ages eight to 30 years.
Kaede-Jade Daniels came second in the junior section and says: “I have been dancing for five years now and I did not feel any pressure at all.
“It felt good to dance after such a long time and the last 021 competition we entered we came 11th place so this is big for us.”
Wesley hopes that more people will join the crew as a way to get off the streets: “Bonteheuwel is known for gangsters and we have an opportunity to change that by starting such initiatives.
“When we started, we only had juniors and this year we decided to add seniors too.”