Pretoria - Just like champions Banyana Banyana, eight-year-old Remoabetswe Senekal from Atteridgeville, Pretoria has shown the country’s immense potential by bringing home a gold medal from the World Lyrical Dance Championships.
Despite it being her first time competing on the global stage Senekal managed to win gold in her solo dance, with her team under the auspices of the World Lyric Dance federation coming in second position in the group competitions.
Her father Thabang Senekal said the journey started when his daughter asked if she could dance for him during the school holidays.
Senekal said although surprised by this request he sat down thinking he would watch his daughter dancing to the more popular dance moves, but she opted to show him a ballet performance instead.
Remoabetswe Senekal won gold at the World Lyrical Dance Championships and her father Thabang said the journey started when his daughter asked if she could dance for him during the school holidays and he was surprised as she opted to show him a ballet performance. #Ballet #Dance pic.twitter.com/kg2rwg3zWl
"I was so surprised to see her at the age of six moving furniture around to show me and I was even more surprised that she chose to dance to snow white and choose ballet instead of the more popular dance fads."
"When she was done I sat down with her and asked her if this is what she wanted to do and she said yes without hesitation, so we took her to a dance school near to her primary school."
Senekal said although her dancing journey was briefly interrupted by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions, he and his wife proceeded to register Reamoabetswe with a dance school in Pretoria West once things eased up.
Right off the bat, he said the teacher told them their daughter had a lot of potential and enlisted her to compete alongside the team, but also ended up giving her a solo to perform.
The father said however getting Remoabetswe to compete at the World Lyrical Dance Championships in Dublin, Ireland which took place from July 28 to 31 was no easy feat as they had to raise R100 000 on their own.
"It wasn't easy but I managed to convince my friends to hold a concert alongside me as an opera singer to raise funds and we managed to raise R24 000. We also asked our close friends for donations, be it R20, R50 or R100 and eventually, my wife and I decided to use our savings."
"I recall my wife calling me after the first day telling me that the competition was tough and that they (the team) had won nothing. But when the second day came she told me Rea had got first place with her solo and all I remember was just crying tears of joy in front of my son because I was so happy and proud."
Senekal said as a product of an absent father himself, growing up he vowed to be a more present father when he had his own family one day.
For him, he said the most important part was that he had taken the time to listen to his daughter and see her thrive as a result.
"I would urge young parents like myself to get away from social media, spend time with their children and listen to them as you never know what they can show you. It's not about money but rather that we need to give our children that attention and support."
"When she arrived at the airport she started crying when she saw me and I asked her why all she said was she missed me, she was happy to see me and that she had won this trophy for me and that is the best feeling a parent could ask for."
Pretoria News
