3 from Limpopo need your help to fly to the US

POLOKWANE – Desiree Buys is one of three dancers from Limpopo who was selected to represent South Africa in the American Dance Awards competition, which will be held in Hollywood, Florida in the US in July.

Buys (14) is a student at Jolene’s Acrobatic Studio and has been dancing since the age of five.

She says she is very excited to represent South Africa in the US and cannot wait.

Juandri Chamaud (14) and Angelique Faul (17), who are also students at Jolene’s Acrobatic Studio, are the two other dancers who will represent the province and country with Buys.

The dancers will compete in the acro-gym, ballet, lyrical, and contemporary categories.

The competition will run for seven days and there will be workshops for three days in order to enhance the dancers’ skills.

There are dancers from different dance studios from across South Africa that will represent the country.

According to Jolene Oosthuizen, a dance teacher at Jolene’s Acrobatic Studio, to compete will cost each dancer R35 000. This amount includes their transport, return air flights from South Africa to the US and accommodation.

Oosthuizen says: “this does not include food, spending-money for the dancers, costumes, tracksuits, registration and participation fees. The dancers ask the community to help them with sponsorships in order to go and represent the country. This will also help our children develop in their dance genres.

“The advantages of the dancers attending the American Dance Awards will be to represent South Africa’s dance talent abroad. To give the dancers exposure as the organisers informed us that they might use them for one of their productions at backstage during the time of the competition”.

According to Oosthuizen, the competition will also broaden the dancers’ knowledge as they will meet and compete against dancers from other countries.

“This competition will also assist them with growth, keep the young kids away from the streets and crime. It will also motivate them to be the best that they can be and more,” Oosthuizen says.

Residents who wish to sponsor Buys can deposit money into the following account:

ABSA

Account name: Desiree Buys

Account number: 9194963583

Branch code: 632005

Name of sponsor as reference

Residents who wish to sponsor Buys, Faul and Chamaud can deposit money into the following account:

ABSA

Account name: Jolene’s Dance

Account number: 9070441944

Branch code: 632005

Name of dancer as reference

The parents and dancers’ teacher thank the community in advance for their sponsorship in making the three dancers’ dreams come true.