Vaal dance team heads to Serbia

Lehlohonolo Hlalele

Street Beat Dance Studio, was formed under the aims of grooming dancers who will be rendered as the best in the industry. Dancers who will share their knowledge selflessly to upcoming generations. Philisiwe, a VUT employee-student and one of the team’s co-founders said, “we want to be dominant in the Vaal through choreography as we’re also aiming to make the Vaal the home of dance.”

The group prides itself in supporting local business, moreover, in creating change and positively impacting the lives of youth in and around the Vaal.

Their achievements include:

1. Participating in a competition hosted by Street beat dance studio alongside Love Affair in 2017. The entrance requirement was a donation of a packet of sanitary pads of your choice. Those pads that the group won were given to schools around Sebokeng.
2. Assisting children from Tholaulwazi after-care with their homework.

“In July 2018 we entered a competition hosted by talent Africa for group and individual solo dancing. The group won a gold medal. This meant that the group qualified to be part of the team of dancers which will represent not only the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) but also forming part of the South Africa dance team, which is quite an honour. We will compete as individuals as well as a group against the best countries all over the world. The competition is categorised into 12 categories. We hope to come out on top in all of them’’, said Philisiwe.

The training regimen includes Intensive morning workouts at the gym or aerobics coupled with dance sessions three times a week. Choreographing intense high beat choreography is incorporated into this training as well as outsourcing ideas from other fellow teammates to ensure that they perfect all the aspects needed as the team prepares towards the competition.

“We intend to be nationally and internationally acclaimed choreographers thus we plan to use this competition as the head start we need to this end. The group is also aiming to take the top three spots in all categories.’’

The doors are always open for those who wish to be part of the team. What is required to be passionate and have a drive. They encourage the youth to strive to be the best in all they do.