Durban - Durban’s Kumari Veloshani Manicum Dance Academy were the winners of India’s International Groovefest (IIG) held in Dubai recently.
The success was quickly celebrated with family and supporters via Facebook.
“To some it may be entertainment, but to us it’s life! 200 contestants, five categories four months of hard work, tears and long hours of practice is all it took to bring the gold to Africa,” wrote Manicum.
The team won first place in the Semi Classical Category at IIG, walking off with a gold trophy and medals.
Manicum said the experience was amazing: “Firstly, the event showcased the best dancers from around the world on one stage. Having been able to even step on the stage was overwhelming and beyond any feeling a dancer could feel.
“This is a victory for South Africa, and not just our team. We felt proud to hear South Africa mentioned on this platform. Winning this award helped us bring pride to Indian dancing in South Africa.”
The team performed their piece on November 16, which also happened to mark the anniversary of the Indians’ arrival in South Africa.
“We used that as the theme behind our dance piece. Our dance showed the connection between dance as we were ‘Made in India’ and proudly South African. I was adamant to show the pride of being South African, hence the famous Waka Waka was also used in our dance item. My team had tears in their eyes when we performed Waka Waka, as we felt we actually brought South Africa to Dubai in the form of dance.”
The IIG is an international competitive event that provides a global platform to dance enthusiasts. The competition was open to amateurs and trained professionals who are passionate about dancing.