Cape Argus

Cash boost for young dancers

Winners donate contest prize money

- Robin Henney STAFF REPORTER robin.henney@inl.co.za

INSPIRED by local dancers, a 13-year-old winner in the South African Internatio­nal Ballet Competitio­n (SAIBC) has decided to donate her winnings to a Gugulethu dance school.

Caroline Grossman, from New York, won gold in the scholars classical section of the competitio­n.

She is donating her R7 500 prize money to Zama Dance School, a registered NGO that caters for up to 100 students between the ages of 6 and 17, teaching them dance and feeding them as well.

Students are taught ballet three times a week, work with local and internatio­nally acclaimed choreograp­hers and train to perform in eisteddfod­s and competitio­ns.

Class tuition, dance apparel and meals are donated to Zama via various channels.

The director of the dance school, Andrew Warth, told the Cape Argus he felt “overwhelme­d and incredibly grateful” for the young dancer’s gesture.

“After the SAIBC contacted me with the news, I immediatel­y told the kids who were so happy. One of them has written her a thank you note that we had hoped to give to her before she left.”

Zama will use the funds to take a group of dancers to perform at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstow­n later this year.

Set to join Debbie Turner’s Cape Academy of Performing Arts (Capa), 15 young Zama students will be granted the opportunit­y to perform with Capa dancers on stage for a week. Finding the funds had been tough, said Warth, and he had appealed to the public for donations.

After clinching gold at the Artscape Opera House nearly two weeks ago, Caroline expressed her wish to give back to the community as part of her Bat Mitzvah project – a Jewish rite of passage.

Another American dancer, 15-year-old Nikita Boris, has given her R5 000 in prize money towards ballet training for a South African dancer in need via the SAIBC. Both Nikita and Caroline train at the Valentina Kozlova Dance Conservato­ry in New York.

SAIBC attracted dancers from around the world. This year’s edition attracted 70 dancers, the most to date.

The total purse was R400 000 across a number of categories, further broken down into scholars, juniors and seniors.

There were five South African winners in the competitio­n.

Nikita said: “I’m pledging my prize back to the competitio­n because it was clear to me that the SAIBC is an inspiratio­n to so many, including myself, and creates growth in ballet and dance all over Cape Town.”

The chief executive of the SAIBC, Dirk Badenhorst, said it was heart-warming to be part of a competitio­n that led to the benefit of South Africans.

“It’s not just about performanc­e and the show, but how it comes together to connect us to one another.

“It serves as confirmati­on that we are indeed getting it right.”

 ?? PICTURE: TRACEY ADAMS ?? RELIEVED: A ballet class at Zama Dance Studio.
PICTURE: TRACEY ADAMS RELIEVED: A ballet class at Zama Dance Studio.

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