Ballito and Tongaat line dancers returned from an international competition in Blackpool with medals – and a world champion among their ranks.

Dance Unlimited members competed at the World Dance Masters Line Dance Championships in the United Kingdom, where Zarina Naidoo earned top honours by winning the platinum starter world title.

Instructors Jay Moodley and Kathy Reddy also returned with medals, but Moodley said the experience was about more than competition. For her, it was about watching dancers perform with confidence and showing that age need not limit what people can achieve.

“I want other women to know that life doesn’t stop when you get older. There is so much to achieve, experience and enjoy,” said Moodley.

“World Dance Masters has shown me that dreams don’t have an expiry date.”

The three-day global competition brought together line dancers from at least 25 countries.

Dance Unlimited offers line dancing classes across the greater Durban area, including Ballito and Tongaat.

Trained dancers Moodley and Reddy teach weekly classes at Ballito Library on Thursdays from 10.30-11.30am and at the Tongaat Sports Centre from 12.30-1.30pm.

Classes cost between R100 and R180, depending on the venue. The club also offers free classes to children, people with disabilities and communities where cost may otherwise be a barrier to participation.

Moodley said dance had given her a sense of purpose while helping her build friendships and confidence, something she hopes to share with others.

“My biggest inspiration is to empower women, people with disabilities and children, and to give them a sense of purpose. Through dance, I want them to stay active, confident and socially connected.”

For more information or to register, contact Reddy on 084 551 1462 or Moodley on 082 328 9580.