Beaulieu College lauds their world-class dance programme, built in just 3 years
Built from scratch and fuelled by culture, courage, and discipline, Beaulieu College’s dancers are now gearing up for Dubai 2026.
When Beaulieu College partnered with Dance Culture Studios in 2023, the school had no dance history, no teams, and no blueprint.
“We were literally building from scratch,” says Quintus Jansen, founder of Dance Culture Studios and head of dance at Beaulieu College. “All we had was interest, energy, and a blank canvas. Everything else had to be created.”
The programme began with an open audition that drew a surprising surge of learners. While several genres were introduced, it soon became clear that the identity of the department would be rooted in street dance.
“The learners connected to hip-hop, amapiano, and afrobeats, styles that reflect who they are. Once we tapped into that, the culture exploded.”
From day one, the department adopted an educational approach, rather than a recreational one. Dancers train through the internationally aligned SDA syllabus and take on responsibilities within the programme.
“Dance teaches discipline, emotional intelligence, teamwork, and leadership. Some of our dancers lead warm-ups, teach juniors, and choreograph pieces. We treat them as emerging artists, not just participants.”
The team’s competitive journey started boldly. They stepped directly into major platforms, like the Inter-Schools Dance Challenge and the Dance Sport Club League, facing well-established teams. “We didn’t wait for the dancers to feel ‘ready’. Exposure builds courage, and they proved they belonged.”
A defining moment came with the school’s production of In The Heights, which earned two Naledi Award nominations. “That show was when Beaulieu realised dance wasn’t just an activity; it was a level of excellence.”
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In 2024, Beaulieu made international waves when a duo placed top 3 in the world at the UDO Championships in Blackpool. They returned with Protea colours, South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) recognition, and honours blazers.
“To earn national colours in our second year, that told us the programme was no longer emerging. It was established.”
The progress continued in 2025. More Protea dancers, international finals, national titles, and a podium finish at Global Dance Supreme, securing a spot at the Global League X World Championships in Dubai 2026, but to Jansen, the wins are only part of the story. “The real success is seeing dancers grow into disciplined, resilient, emotionally intelligent young people. Some will continue dancing, some won’t, but all of them are stronger because of it.”
Now entering 2026, the team prepares for Dubai with one clear goal: To compete as world-ready athletes. “We started from zero. Now, we’re stepping onto the world stage, and this is just the beginning.”
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