Street dance crew earns Protea colours at nationals
The Heavenly Queens overcame intimidation from veteran crews to secure their spot on the podium and are now setting their sights on international stages.
New Wave Academy, a dance studio based in Bromhof, returned victorious after participating in the Club League National Competition in Kuils River, Cape Town, from October 9 to 11.
The dance crew, Heavenly Queens, which consists of six young dancers who belong to the academy, danced their hearts out on stage as they competed in a series of fixtures against various provinces.
While 18 dancers participated in the competition in duos or solos, they collectively grabbed the opportunity to represent Gauteng at nationals with both hands and brought a different feel to the stage, exposing their talents in street dance and hip-hop dance routines. Throughout the competition, the girls faced various challenges, ranging from feeling intimidated by other crews as they had been in the industry for many years, but remained steadfast in their purpose and ended the competition accomplished by placing third and qualifying for national Protea colours.
Read more: Rising dance star shines in international competitions
Heavenly Queens coach Calvin Seakatsie expressed his awe and admiration for his girls as he watched them perform.
“It was mind-blowing watching them perform, and I mean all the dancers would place in the top 10, five, and six. All the crews qualified for national colours, and before we left for Cape Town, we placed first back-to-back for three weeks in a row. I am very proud of every one of them, because I know their personalities, strengths and weaknesses, and that is what was shown in their performances. I was in awe just watching them show everyone what I see daily during our practices,” Seakatsie said.
He further broke the misconception that dance is not a real sport, reminding parents that dance has many qualities that can assist their children to remain fit and agile, think on their feet and regulate their emotions.
Also read: Art runs in the family for Blairgowrie dance instructor
The girls collectively reflected on the wonderful time they had participating in the competition, sharing what it meant to represent their province and what values they think worked to their advantage when going against other teams.
Dancer Kenzie Barberis shared what the overall experience was for her.
“Representing Gauteng felt like a lot of pressure because we knew coming back people were going to ask if we won, lost or if we placed. But on the other hand, it felt nice representing our hometown and showing what we can do. One thing about us is we understand that if you have power and energy, you can make up for forgetting a part of the choreography; you can always cover the mistakes because the judges don’t know the choreography, but it’s important to never give up and stop,” Kenzie said.
The victorious streak for the dance crew won’t end anytime soon, as after qualifying for colours at the national competition, the girls are looking ahead to representing South Africa in Hong Kong and Belgium in 2027. The dance academy is appealing to residents and the community to rally behind the girls as they wave the South African flag high abroad. Interested donors can contact Seakatsie at nwdamedia@gmail.com.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!
