FACE 2 FACE
With Kyle Badenhorst (KCLelion)
Q APlease tell us about your work.
I am an owner/teacher/choreographer AND dancer @Sha-Loui Dance School, along with Sharon and Sasha Badenhorst.
And I’ve been making songs for over a year and a half and will be putting out my first Single through the company DITTO. My songs will be available for download and streaming on all major platforms in around two months under my artist name KCLelion.
Q: How and where did it all start?
A: The dancing has been instilled in us if one could say so lol… My sister and I were born into it as our mother Sharon was a dance teacher in Cape Town and my dad a submariner and they met on the dance floor and well the rest is history.
But I never saw my life as a dancer and would never have thought it would be my career. I was a rugby player and going to go over to France to play but unfortunately a fully torn ACL and MCL put a stop to that.
I tried to continue numerous times but I just kept re tearing the ligaments in my knees (both). After many years of managing bars, I then helped my mom with a dance class and started getting into it and after a few months the bug bit. Now it’s all World Champs, SA Champs and dance classes 6-8 hours a day with over 100 students in our Dance School.
The music bloomed from yet another injury to my knee - I needed to stimulate my mind during the tough time… so I grabbed a guitar… then bought a DAW (fruit loops)… then a midi board… and then a mic and so it grew from there and I am now making and producing my own music from scratch.
Q: Best moment?
A: There is many of them but to mention a few…
Dance Star World Champs Online: 1st place with Josh (Hip-Hop duo)
1st place with Carissa (Commercial duo)
3rd place with Carissa (Open Section duo)
3rd place (Hip-Hop solo)
Dance Star SA Champs (Cape Town):
2nd place with Sasha (Musical Theatre duo)
2nd place with Carissa (Contemporary duo)
And travelling to Croatia for Dance Star World Champs and getting to see and experience Venice during that time.
Q: Low point (and how you recovered).
A: Knee injuries, and how they have kept me away from competing more and achieving the goals I have set for myself.
It's really helped that I have such a super strong support system with family and amazing friends.
But individually I kept my mind busy with learning, studying and doing moves that don’t include my knees like hand work, core control, isolated popping, dime stopping and much more. That way when I get back to dancing I'm more knowledgeable and understand more than what I did before so the loss of strength and time dancing doesn’t feel like such a big loss in the end.
And making my new songs has been a lifesaver during those times as I still get to express myself artistically.
Q: Down time: how do you unwind?
A: A nice bottle of Merlot and cooking up a fancy meal.
Q: A song, mantra or phrase that sums up the way you see the world…
A: The Beat Goes On…
Q: One thing South Africa needs to fix?
A: Corruption and lack of water.
Q: Top of your recommendations for visitors to Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast?
A: To experience our amazing beaches and river. All the top notch restaurants and lodges in our area, my list would be way too long to mention all the things I would recommend. We live in a beautiful little town with great facilities.
Q: What are your goals?
A: To travel the world teaching dance workshops and get my music into the Top Charts.
Q: Favourite book? A: The BIBLE.
Q: Favourite movie? A: Gladiator.
Q: Favourite artist?
A: Favourite Music artist is NF & The Weeknd.