LOCAL DANCER TO REPRESENT SOUTH AFRICA ON WORLD STAGE
Talented rugby player following other passion
THE Eastern Cape has produced Springbok bowlers, anglers, rowers, shottists, golfers, cricketers, rugby players, swimmers and athletes – some from our own area – and now Port Alfred’s own Kyle Badenhorst is set to represent South Africa in dancing.
In May, Badenhorst hopes to fly to Croatia with the rest of the South African team to compete in the Dance Star World Championships.
He will compete in urban style (hip-hop) solo and contemporary/modern solo categories of the championship. Other genres include tap, ballet, jazz and traditional dance.
“I hope I can learn from my experience and those of other dancers and judges. It would be amazing if I came in the top 10,” he said.
He also hopes to attend a London dance studio, Urban Strides, in the near future and receive authentic, accredited street-dance teacher training.
Top world class judges from Global Dance Group (Dance Star) recently visited South Africa to scout for talent to dance at the Dance Star World Championships.
Badenhorst was chosen from some 1600 other dancers who auditioned in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Badenhorst was born in Cape Town and attended Graeme College, then was awarded a rugby bursary to Kingswood College. He was also invited to join the Sharks Rugby Academy in Durban, but a knee injury prevented him taking up this offer, which left him devastated.
Fortunately he had another great love. His parents and sister are all dancers and choreographers and he decided to join them at the Sha-Loui Dance school, which teaches more than 100 students in several dance genres.
The end-of-year show of Sha-Loui Dance School is testament to their many talents and high standard of performance.
When you see him dance you see the same level of fitness, strength and control that made him a great rugby player, according to local theatre company director Ann Green.
“It’s this level of physicality that has made him the outstanding dancer that he is,” Green said.
Badenhorst’s talents don’t stop at contemporary and hip-hop. He has also achieved great success in the South African Inter-Varsity Championships in Ballroom and Latin American genre with Paige de Bruin of Port Alfred, where they placed fifth, representing the Nelson Mandela University.
But in order to get to Croatia the dancers must pay R45000 towards their expenses. Badenhorst has already raised R15 000 but there is still a considerable shortfall. Green said every donation would be welcome.
“If there are any supporters of the arts who could donate to Kyle’s success, this would be greatly appreciated,” Green said.
Contributions can be made to Backabuddy –
https//www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/
project/get-kyle-to-dance-star-croatia , or follow the Facebook page – getkyletocroatia and follow the prompts.