To be crowned number one in South Africa in the U11 male solo hip hop section is pretty good but when you are just nine years old, the achievement just simply blows your mind.
Warrick Naudé is a Grade 3 pupil at Maragon Private Schools and has achieved tremendous rankings both nationally and locally in the dance industry. Hard to believe, he has only been dancing for two years.
Warrick is a student at the Mario Gomes Dance Academy, who hasn’t stopped dancing since he started at the age of seven years.
According to Warrick’s mother Genevieve Naudé, the nine-year-old is a positive ball of energy and cannot stop busting moves wherever he goes.
“He loves dancing so much, it is really who he is. He is very positive and that reflects in what he brings on stage. We are just in awe of his achievements and support him in his endeavours.”
As part of the dance academy, Naudé will also show off his talents at the upcoming four-night dance show at the Roodepoort Theatre from 18 to 20 of September.
The showcase has been put together not only to expose the bursting talent of the local dances, but ticket sales will go toward funding 18 dancers that have been selected to be part of the IDO world hip-hop championships in Germany.
Mario Gomes, the academy’s owner, gleams with pride when he speaks of his more than 300 students, who are currently ranked first in the country despite many of them having only been dancers for a year.
He adds, “We really need the support of community members to send these youngsters overseas, so we encourage everyone to buy tickets to the showcase and they can do that here at the dance academy. Dancing is a special talent for these youngsters and has kept many of them off the streets.”
Warrick has taken an active role by assisting Gomes raise funds for his fellow dancers going to Germany on 22 September.
With the students set to showcase their best moves in styles ranging from break-dancing to urban street dance, audiences should expect nothing short of world class performances and choreography.
Contact Mario Gomes on: 079 187 7001.
