Ballerinas have great success at festival

The students of the Sandra Gibson Ballet Academy did exceptionally well this year at the East Rand Dance Festival, held in Kempton Park.

This is a dance competition of the highest standard where many of the best teachers of Gauteng enter their students in different types of dances.

Genevieve du Toit, one of the teachers of the Sandra Gibson Ballet Academy says the young dancers who entered this festival are of a high standard and can be regarded as the créme of the crop.

She says an A-plus is the highest mark possible a dancer can get at this competition and for getting this they have to work hard.

Joshua Jordaan received the trophy for the most talented U/13 male dancer.

Kayleigh Smith received A-pluses for all the categories she participated in and was winner of the U/9 and U/11 section.

She was also the runner-up in the U/9 and U/11 section and the Junior Championships of the East Rand Dance Festival.

Dancers who received A-pluses in all their solo categories were Ashlynn de Beer (U/5 to U/7), Jaden de Beer (U/5 to U/7) and Casiana Frade (U/7 and U/9).

Each of the four groups the academy entered for group dances all received A-pluses and trophies in their respective categories.

One of these groups is the U/5 Mushroom Fairies, who despite dancing in an age group older, won an A-plus.