Primary school pupils practise ballroom and Latin dancing in Port Elizabeth. Photo: Joseph Chirume
23 November 2016
Fifty primary school pupils from poor communities in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality are to compete in a ballroom and Latin dance competition in Sun City in December.
The 50 were selected In November at an event held at the Vuyisile Mini Square in Port Elizabeth.
Organiser Thembinkosi Ndoni said ballroom dancing was usually associated with the rich and the famous.
“I am establishing an academy in Port Elizabeth targeting school children from as young as six years of age to 16 years old. At present, we have eight schools and 275 children that are involved with this project. Most of the children come from townships and the northern areas.”
Ndoni said that children lacked money for transport and dance clothes.
Bawinile Dastile, principal of Sivuyiseni Primary School, which has students in the programme, urged other schools to join.
“Most of these children have never set foot outside Port Elizabeth, but now they are heading for Sun City, a place even their parents and teachers have never been to.”
Grade 4 pupil Sange Gebengane, 9, from New Brighton, said he wanted to pursue a career in dancing.
“I stay with my grandmother who is not working. We are a family of six. I want to excel in my school work and at the same time take ballroom dancing seriously.”