Local dance studio cleans up
Lads participated in the National IAAASA competition in Randfontein and finished the competition with 37 first places
Ludik’s Acro Dance Studio (Lads) proved once again that hard work really pays off as 2014 was a great year for this dance school. Their dancers are coached by two sisters, Zelda Lange and Maryke Ludik.
Lads participated in the National Eisteddfod Acadamy (NEA) competition in 2013, where a group from Lads were awarded a diploma, which is the highest achievement at this competition.
The diploma allowed Lads dancers to participate in the Young Performers Awards of the NEA. The first round was in February where Lads obtained a high enough mark to advance to the quarterfinals. At the quarterfinals they again obtained a high enough mark to advance through to the semifinals. There they were a Judges Choice to advance through to the finals, which was held at the Atterbury Theatre in May. Lads was the only acrobatic group to compete at the finals.
They participated in the NEA competition again in September, entering five duets and five groups for acrobatics and obtained a diploma for each dance. This again allows Lads to participate in the Young Performers Awards of the NEA in 2015.
Lads participated in the National Integrated Artistic Acrobatic Association of South Africa (IAAASA) competition in Randfontein in October and finished the competition with 37 first places, which was the highest number of first places achieved by a dance school at this competition. Dancing schools from Durban, Rustenburg, Middelburg and Randfontein participated in this competition.
Mari McLeish came first in the Baby section (five years and under) even though she never danced before. Zihandri Lange, the youngest dancer at Lads also came first in the Baby section, but in the solo section.
The following dancers placed in the top three in their all-round section, where they dance in two solo categories and will advance to the next level in acrobatics: Carla de Beer, Jomari Terblanche, Guillaume McLeish, Tegwyn du Plessis and Malisya Morris. Handri van Tonder won Preliminary Championships Under 12 after dancing four different solo dances to become the winner.
Juane Grobler was the runner-up in the Preliminary Championships. Lads won two choreography awards for Best Choreographed Group (the same group that danced in the NEA Finals) and Best Choreographed Quartet.
Lads was the only school to obtain a mark of 90 per cent and higher at this competition for this Group (93 per cent) and for a Trio (90 per cent).
Lads is also very proud to announce that four of their dancers, Andre van Eeden, Susan Veldman, Elmie Terblanche and Chantelle Venter qualified as Acrobatic Coaches.
For more information about the studio, contact Maryke on 079 881 1267.
