Dance national champions crowned
Dance sport
DanceSport Namibia (DSN) hosted its national tournament in the Hip-Hop (Street), Stage and Latin (Ballroom) genres last weekend, bringing together more than 100 budding dancers from studios across the country.
Held at East Church Hall in Windhoek, the event was a major highlight on DSN’s calendar and marked the federation’s first official nationals under its new management team appointed in April.
Dancers showcased their technical skill, musicality and creativity before a panel of experienced South African judges, who evaluated performances for advancement to local and international competitions next year.
After a full day of passion and rhythm, DSN selected its national teams, comprising soloists who will compete against other soloists, and crews who will compete against other crews at upcoming events.
Hip-hop
Selected in the Hip-hop genre were soloists Yana Oosthuizen and Nicole Langerman. They were chosen alongside the Rise Again crew from H2E Studio, Rhythm Rebels from Codesync, H2E Mega Crew (H2E) and FreshGang Dance.
Stage
The Stage genre selection comprises Anri Brynard, Ina Mai, Anne Koch, Jamie-Nicole Beukes, Makayla Brandt, Alyna Swartz, Frances Tromp, Mischa Jooste and Kenzi Morkel, with H2E contemporary groups and Dynamic Dancers (Anchen Wille).
Latin
In the Latin genre, those selected include Nicolas Garrels, Edmund van Neel, Odile Gertze, Anja Pretorius, Kerry-Anne Kriel, Shanique Struwig, Kari Rabie, Leona Oosthuizen, Nadine Birch, Anyanka Esterhuyzen and Vernon Sawyers.
Organisers described the competition as an important step toward elevating dance sport and promoting positive growth across all genres in the country.
DSN president Leah Gaeses said their events are open to anyone interested in the sport.
“We invite all the dancers, no matter the genre, to come and showcase their talent. We have judges from South Africa to see their technique, creativity and groove. The sport is growing and getting bigger. Heading into a new season next year, we have lots of plans,” Gaeses said.
‘I really love [this]’
One of the dancers at the event, Leona Oosthuizen, said the competition provided a much-needed platform for dancers to connect.
“For all the hard work we have put into the sport over the years, this is a very fun and interesting way to express everything. I really love interacting with all the other participants and love seeing the progress,” she said.
Looking ahead to next season, DSN confirmed development initiatives in South Africa to help strengthen dancers’ skills in their respective genres. Organisers also noted that some of the competitions they are preparing for will take place in the United Arab Emirates.
The national tournament highlighted not only the depth of talent and creativity among Namibian dancers but also the growing support for young performers.
DSN continues to create pathways for dancers to advance locally and internationally, laying a strong foundation for the future of the sport.
– [email protected] / [email protected]
Held at East Church Hall in Windhoek, the event was a major highlight on DSN’s calendar and marked the federation’s first official nationals under its new management team appointed in April.
Dancers showcased their technical skill, musicality and creativity before a panel of experienced South African judges, who evaluated performances for advancement to local and international competitions next year.
After a full day of passion and rhythm, DSN selected its national teams, comprising soloists who will compete against other soloists, and crews who will compete against other crews at upcoming events.
Hip-hop
Selected in the Hip-hop genre were soloists Yana Oosthuizen and Nicole Langerman. They were chosen alongside the Rise Again crew from H2E Studio, Rhythm Rebels from Codesync, H2E Mega Crew (H2E) and FreshGang Dance.
Stage
The Stage genre selection comprises Anri Brynard, Ina Mai, Anne Koch, Jamie-Nicole Beukes, Makayla Brandt, Alyna Swartz, Frances Tromp, Mischa Jooste and Kenzi Morkel, with H2E contemporary groups and Dynamic Dancers (Anchen Wille).
Latin
In the Latin genre, those selected include Nicolas Garrels, Edmund van Neel, Odile Gertze, Anja Pretorius, Kerry-Anne Kriel, Shanique Struwig, Kari Rabie, Leona Oosthuizen, Nadine Birch, Anyanka Esterhuyzen and Vernon Sawyers.
Organisers described the competition as an important step toward elevating dance sport and promoting positive growth across all genres in the country.
DSN president Leah Gaeses said their events are open to anyone interested in the sport.
“We invite all the dancers, no matter the genre, to come and showcase their talent. We have judges from South Africa to see their technique, creativity and groove. The sport is growing and getting bigger. Heading into a new season next year, we have lots of plans,” Gaeses said.
‘I really love [this]’
One of the dancers at the event, Leona Oosthuizen, said the competition provided a much-needed platform for dancers to connect.
“For all the hard work we have put into the sport over the years, this is a very fun and interesting way to express everything. I really love interacting with all the other participants and love seeing the progress,” she said.
Looking ahead to next season, DSN confirmed development initiatives in South Africa to help strengthen dancers’ skills in their respective genres. Organisers also noted that some of the competitions they are preparing for will take place in the United Arab Emirates.
The national tournament highlighted not only the depth of talent and creativity among Namibian dancers but also the growing support for young performers.
DSN continues to create pathways for dancers to advance locally and internationally, laying a strong foundation for the future of the sport.
– [email protected] / [email protected]
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