Sixteen young dancers from the Wentworth Arts and Culture Organisation’s dance movement project will leave for the UK on Friday to represent South Africa at the United Dance Organisation (UDO) World Championship street dance competition.
The dancers participated in the 13th Durban Dance Movement Festival at the iZulu Theatre in Umhlanga on Friday, where they performed alongside some of the country’s leading dance studios and companies in a celebration of South Africa’s diverse dance talent.
The team earned national selection after competing at last year’s inter-provincial tournament, where they were chosen to be part of the South African squad that will compete against some of the world’s best dancers from about 40 countries at the prestigious international event.
The World Championship takes place from August 12 to 16 at Winter Gardens in the UK.
The dance movement project is run by the Wentworth Arts and Culture Organisation, a South-Durban-based NPO that has spent the past 19 years using the arts to empower young people from disadvantaged communities.
Founder and artistic director Jared Watson said the organisation’s work extends beyond competitive dance by making the arts accessible to people living with disabilities, including wheelchair users, visually impaired people and amputees.
“Our mission has always been to give young people opportunities through the arts,” Watson said.
“Dance has become a powerful tool for building confidence, discipline and hope, while also creating pathways that many of these young people would never otherwise have.”
The project offers training in a variety of dance styles — including hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, African dance and breakdancing — preparing participants to compete at provincial, national and international levels.
Getting the team to the UK, however, has come at a significant cost. Watson said the organisation had embarked on an ambitious fundraising campaign to raise R1m to cover travel and competition expenses for the 16 dancers.
“It has been a painstaking journey, but the support from our community has been incredible,” he said. “We have also received assistance from the department of sport, arts and culture, though we are still working to raise the remaining funds needed.”
Before departing on Friday, the dancers will attend a capping ceremony on Wednesday, where they will officially receive their Protea colours as members of the South African team.
The annual Durban Dance Movement Festival celebrates the diversity of South Africa’s dance community and features performances across a wide range of genres, including hip-hop, breakdancing, contemporary, ballet, Bollywood and amapiano.
This year’s festival brought together performers from dance companies and studios, including:
- Dance Movement;
- Chelsea Blair Dance Company;
- Footworx Dance;
- Kumari Shiksha’s Dance Institute;
- KwaMashu Dance Theatre;
- Redham House; and
- Rhythmic Arts Academy.
For Watson, the festival was more than a performance platform.
“It is proof that talent exists in every community,” he said. “These young dancers are carrying not only the South African flag but also the hopes of the communities that have supported them throughout this journey.”
TimesLIVE
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