Dancers learn from the best

DURING the holidays, Vryheid’s Stepping Out Dance Academy’s dancers and Stepping Out Harrismith dancers went on a three day Dance Camp.

They learned technique for handstands, headstands, flick combinations, side and front aerials, walkovers, handsprings, Arab springs and advanced combinations of dance tumbling tricks.

The days started off with tent inspection and breakfast, followed by training for the dancers. They trained every day for six hours with various coaches in the tumbling and dance industry. Even two of the smallest dancers from Vryheid, Zene (6) and Aiden (8) gave it their all and pushed through the days. Every night the dancers had a lovely dinner and then the fun began, where they did various activities such as a movie night, games and meeting the rest of the tumblers and dancers.

Marina de Beer, owner of Stepping Out Dance Academy in Vryheid, Janette Henning, owner of Stepping Out Dance Academy in Harrismith, Monique De Klerk, owner of JP’s Gym in Harrismith and Elmien Potgieter (former gymnast) and mom of dancer, Zene Potgieter, had one on one time with the coaches, Danie and Michelle Haasbroek, where they explained the importance of the right teacher and teaching tumbling and acrobatic tricks and the importance of the right strength exercises.

Teachers have a huge influence in a dancer’s life and, with the wrong training and teaching, a dancer can get hurt. Teachers also have to stay up to date with everything new that is happening in the dance world.

Danie Haasbroek, manager of Tumble Mania, has over 34 years experience in tumbling, gymnastics, cheerleading, Parkour and dancing. He is the owner of Wanted Events and is a registered member of SAGF (South African Gymnastics Federation). His wife, Michelle Haasbroek, is a former high performance gymnast and tumbler. They both have international training and keep up to date every year with workshops.

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It was such an honour and privilege to work with these two professionals. Stepping Out is definitely adding this camp to our calendar to stay up to date each year. Our students learned so much from this camp and I can see the improvement every time they attend a workshop or camp. If anyone would like to join us on our next camp, please feel free to contact Marina de Beer.

Thank you to every dancer who always works hard, you amaze me every time. Thank you to all the parents who support their children. Without you, nothing would be possible.

Please keep an eye open for our Show and Tell: Beauty Within on August 29 – Public evening (R30 entry) and the Gala Evening on August 30 for family and friends. 10% of the proceeds will be donated to the Child Welfare.

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Michelle Haasbroek (Director of Coaching)

– Started sports career at age of 10, achieved Gauteng colours in gymnastics and tumbling , multiple Gauteng and South African gold medalist. Member of South African women’s national team for 10 years, South African national women’s champion 7 years in a row, first South African female tumbling gymnast to achieve majorly at international level, competed twice in the world championships and world games abroad and was rated among the 10 top female tumblers in the world.

– Former international judge and currently qualified judge and a level 3 tumbling coach for the South African Gymnastics Federation, studied Human Movement Education at UP. FIG level 1 coach.

– Michelle was awarded the top Gauteng North coaching award. She is passionate about developing the sport and regularly presents tumbling holiday camps and workshops attended by gymnasts and tumblers from all over the country ( as far as Cape Town). Michelle is also an energetic sports event organiser .

– She was the secretary general for the 21st World Championships and Age Group Games and chief results coordinator for this major event. Together with her husband, Danie, she has been involved with the presentation of a great number of courses, clinics and events.

Danie Haasbroek (Manager)

– Founded the first tumbling only club in South Africa.

– Started with gymnastics at age of 6, awarded provincial colours in 4 different provinces, gold medalist at various provincial and national level competitions, represented South Africa at various international events as a national team member and captain of the national squad, national team coach of senior and junior national tumbling teams, produced various medallists at the world tumbling championships and world age group games.