Local ballroom couple brings home gold from world championship
Adelaide Hlungwani and Happy Ramaano thanked their sponsors and supported who made it possible for them to compete and win first place.
LIMPOPO – When the ballroom dance couple promised South Africa last month that they will return home with medals they meant it.
Adelaide Hlungwani and Happy Ramaano took first place at the 2022 World Dance Council Amateur League (WDCAL) World Championship.
Prior to their trip to Holland from November 4-14, the couple from Polokwane pleaded with the country for donations to cover the costs of their flights, food, hairdresser, dance attire and shoes, and they received all the support and money they needed to make this dance dream a reality.
During the seven-day competition, the couple competed against other professional dance couples from around the world, as they danced Latin American, cha-cha, samba, rumba, paso-doble and jive dance styles.
“They gave us three days to train and the other four days were strictly for the competition,” Hlungwani said.
She further added that every section had its own select panel of adjudicators and that the competition had more than 40 qualified adjudicators from all over the world, who were selected based on their studied qualifications from the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA).
The dancers were judged according to best dressed, best rehearsed, best performance per dance, technical qualities, choreography, movements to music as well as presentation.
Hlungwani and Ramaano won a recognition of WDCAL gold engraved medal, as well as a letter of authority to the South African Dance Committee that the couple must be taken care of in terms of dance essentials.
“This was our first competition abroad and ending first feels amazing, we thank God. Many South African dance couples couldn’t even make it this far. We have indeed put our country on the dancing map and we are so proud to be the ones who achieved that. We would like to thank everyone for the emotional, spiritual and moral support as this wouldn’t have been possible without you. May God bless you all,” Ramaano added.
The couple would like to thank all sponsors: The University of Limpopo, Department of Treasury, sport code manager Maria Mochechela, South African Dance Foundation (SADF), chief executive Marion Baxter and her son prof Andre Cloete.
A special thanks to South African champion Darren Hammond and Marina Steshenko, their coaches Obed Mofoleng, Salome Sechele, Owen Nene, Limpopo Arts and Culture Council, Lebowa Funeral Palour, Roshkie Lifestyle in Lebowakgomo, Justine, Erina Dekker, Sthe, Bd dance and lastly their designers; Leonora, Chris Bullpitt, Prince Shongwe and Bianca’s designs.
