Dance teacher celebrates students’ victory

A former Amanzimtoti dance teacher, who still teaches in town, has seen her students return with splendid results in recent competitions.

Wendy Reinhardt, nee Matson (70), who teaches ballet and modern dancing at the Rhythmic Arts Studio in Toti, was pleased with the 13 silver medals, 14 double distinctions and 12 gold medals her students returned with from the American Performance Awards in May and June.

Of the 12 gold, five were awarded bursaries to study ballet in New York during the summer school. Her entries for next year’s awards are already hard at work to continue upholding the good name of the Wendy Reinhardt Academy of Dance.

Wendy belongs to the Imperial Society of Teachers Dancing (ISTD) and is a modern major examiner for the society.

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“I was born in Johannesburg but moved to Toti at the age of four,” she said. “I grew up in Doonside and still remember going to an old ramshackle hall in Doonside with my mother. I went to Kingsway High School, when it was sited at Amanzimtoti High. After school I attended the Natal Technikon, before dancing at Napac (Natal Performance Arts Council) for five years.

I always wanted to dance and things just seem to fall into place for me. I just love my dancing.” Wendy herself is a prima ballerina, who was awarded three fellowships – Cecchetti Ballet, Imperial Ballet and Imperial Modern.
She is now based in Westville but continues to teach classes in Toti and Scottburgh, where her teaching career began 47 years ago.