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The Kensington Dance Crew (KDC) came out tops at the annual 021 Best Dance Crew (BDC) competition.
The contest saw two days of fun-filled action at the Sarepta Community Hall in Kuils River on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 October. Different dance groups battled it out for the honours.
KDC’s Lucian Webster won a bronze medal in the junior solo category, while Leah Gilbert and Chante Barnes claimed second place in the teen duos category.
In the senior category, they scooped first place in the Senior crew group. In the Senior Duo they walked away with the second and third spots.
David Stemmet, a professional dancer and founder of KDC, won in the Senior solo category.
KDC is no stranger to the dancing world and has won several competitions and made TV debuts. They appeared on Expresso on SABC3 and on Cape Town TV.
Last year, the crew teamed up with another group in the 021 BDC mega crew category and won the first prize.
Stemmet says he is proud of his team as most competed for the first time. “It was nerve-wracking because for many of them it was their first time on stage performing. But we still managed to win in a few of the categories. We got good feedback from the judges as well.”
Over the weekend, the team took part in Hip Hop Indaba and will participate in the Power Jam next month.
Gilbert (16) says she is passionate about dancing. She joined the group about six years ago and is elated about their accomplishment.
“We practised hard, and we were relieved when we won. It meant that all the hard work paid off.”
Webster (13) made his debut at the competition. I dance all the time. I loved the competition, and I was excited when some of our team members won.”
Leah’s mother, Whitney, says seeing her daughter on stage showcasing her talent makes her emotional. “It is exciting seeing them happy and doing what they love. I cry tears of joy. It makes all the sacrifices worth it. This dance school keeps the children off the streets and keeps them disciplined. I always tell my daughter to let her schoolwork be her motivation for her dance. I am a proud parent.”
Charlene Palace, one of the dance coaches, appeals to the community and businesses to get involved and support them. “Our biggest challenge is lack of financial support. We often need various items and don’t have the necessary funding. We appeal to the community to support our fundraising efforts.”
Stemmet urges those who want to join the group to look on their Facebook page for audition dates next year.
