Zeinab Kone, a ballet dancer who attends St Mary’s School, Waverly, recently danced her way through the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Advanced 2 exam and walked away with a high distinction.
As a result, she has been confirmed as the recipient of a bursary to compete in the Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition, held in London from September 1 to 8.
“I was thrilled when I received a bursary to compete in The Fonteyn; it is one of my aspirations and dreams. The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition is RAD’s flagship annual event, and is a prestigious ballet competition.”
The Fonteyn, formerly known as the Genée, originating in 1931, is for ballet dancers worldwide who trained using the RAD syllabus and have achieved an Advanced 2 with distinction.
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The 17-year-old began her ballet journey as a school co-curricular activity when she was 7 years old.
“I always enjoyed classical ballet, but it was for fun. It was only later on that I considered pursuing it professionally, under the guidance of my mentor [former Prima Ballerina] Angela Malan.”
She added that she honed her skills 6 days a week, and sacrificed other extracurricular activities.
“Juggling ballet with school was exhausting, but I have prioritised my academics and maintained a high average throughout high school.”
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Zeinab explained that ballet often challenged her physically and mentally, and it required a lot of effort to make the art look effortless on stage.
“As a black South African ballet dancer, I have faced challenges, ranging from micro-aggressions to exclusion. The basics, like access to ‘flesh-coloured’ merchandise, have proven onerous, but due to recent battles fought by prominent dancers of colour, I now wear brown pointed shoes and tights with pride.”
Zeinab will move across the Atlantic to New York City to begin her final year of school at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School when she’s done in London, on a full scholarship.
“This scholarship is for my final year of high school, and I look forward to learning more and growing in the ballet world. It is an honour to have been offered a full scholarship to train in such a world-renowned institution.”
She noted that she would be staying in a dormitory for the first time, and far away from home and family, but is excited and determined to face this new chapter.
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