Crystal Park dancer impresses at dance World Cup qualifiers
The dancer knows the demands of bouncing and is willing to give it her all to achieve her dream.
Neriah Tobi of Crystal Park beat the odds to win the children’s solo street dance category at the Dance World Cup South Africa leg qualifiers in Centurion last month.
The 12-year old scored an impressive 90.2% to soar above her competitors.
“It was exciting. I’m happy. It was a sign that hard work pays off,” she said.
According to her mother, Geneva Kuypers, Neriah has been bouncing and krumping since the age of four. It was when she joined the Dexter School of Dance last April that her career took off.
The dancer knows the demands of bouncing and is willing to give it her all to achieve her dream.
“Hip-hop defines who I am. I can invent my own moves and express my personality and emotions through different sets,” she said.
She fell in love with hip-hop dancing after seeing American dancer and choreographer Bailey Sok strut her stuff on America’s Got Talent and several YouTube videos.
But her biggest motivation came when she saw Sok dancing with one of her favourites of all time, Janet Jackson.
“I love how Bailey moves. The way she expresses herself and connects to the music has really inspired me.”
Like Sok, Neriah knows that to reach one’s goals, hard work and preparation are key.
“Before the qualifiers, I was practising at home daily. I also had classes every Friday and Saturday with Dexter.”
As a late bloomer, her coach, Dexter Manzana, told the paper she adapted well to the demands of being a full-time dancer.
“She is growing at an exponential rate. She is a dedicated and good student who always works hard in the studio. She is focused and has great chemistry with her peers.”
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Manzana said their preparation for the Centurion event included a training regimen that focused on stamina and strength.
“We run a pretty elite training programme. We train students at a world-class level studio.
“For world championships, we train all our students at a pro-athlete level, working through musicality, execution, stamina, strength, explosiveness, staging and blocking.”
Neriah will make her debut appearance at the Battle of the Giants competition in Sun City later this month.
At any dance event, big-match temperament plays a big part, and Neriah knows she will have to push herself to achieve the ultimate goal.
Manzana is confident Neriah will outperform her competition and bring back the championship.
“The competition on the international stage is pretty high, which is why we focus on preparing students over a long time. We have the fullest confidence in her ability to bring back a gold medal,” Manzana said.
Anyone who wants to join the Dexter Dance School may contact Manzana on 083 610 2168 or at info@dexterdanceschool.co.za for more information.
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