PROUDLY born and bred in Wentworth, Sherwin Green is a mover and a shaker who is destined for greater heights.
Born into a family of talent and rhythm, his love for dance was nurtured from childhood.
“Dancing was always a part of my family. My dad was a jazz dancer. On my mom’s side, there was a Christian dance group called Testify which was passed down through generations. However, my inspiration was from my cousins who danced in their own group called Prophesy. They used to burn the grass with their dance moves in our backyard and I used to sit and watch in awe.
“I used to ask them to take me with to their dance workshops and competitions. I wanted to be like them. That’s where my journey of becoming a dancer and an artist started,” said Sherwin who was inspired by the likes of Usher, Chris Brown and Michael Jackson.
In 2009 he came across a Dance Movement poster inviting aspiring dancers to audition. He made the cut was a dancer for the organisation for about 13 years, where he gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in the world of professional dance.
“It was quite a roller-coaster. Experiencing so much at a young age can set you off the rails or it can build you up as a person. At a young age, Dance Movement director, Jarryd Watson saw my potential and put me into the senior group within three weeks of joining. I was nine-years-old at the time.”
Some of his career highlights with Dance Movement include travelling to Scotland within his first year of joining and being the youngest participant at the In 2011 UDO Championships in England. In 2013 he went to the Broadway Dance Centre in New York and in 2019 he went to the UDO Championships again and was given the opportunity to be a choreographer and share his skills with other dancers.
“My childhood was crazy but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Jarryd’s love for dance goes a long way and he’s very passionate about it. I’m very grateful to have been part of that journey with him because that built me into who I am today.”
The Gardenia Primary School old boy admits that he did have humbling moments and even almost lost his passion for dance at some point. “These things happen and sometimes people don’t understand the intensity of this career. It can choke you regardless of your age. However, I’m a strong believer in Jesus Christ no matter what. When God has set out something for you, no man could ever put it aside. When you’ve built a strong foundation you can never go off from it. Mine is Christianity, family love and my passion for dance.”
A life-altering moment in the young dancer’s life was in April last year when he decided to leave Dance Movement in pursuit to find his own wings and make a name for himself in the industry. After a period of soul searching, he put his talent out on social media where his videos went viral, exposing him to a greater audience.
Hungry to make an even greater impact, at the beginning of this year he decided to take a leap of faith and walk to the BAT Centre. “I didn’t have a solid plan. I was just praying the whole time with hopes that something positive would come out of it. I found out the cost to hire out a studio per hour and was surprised to learn how cheap it was and that it was open to anyone. I made a booking right there and then. I was so nervous. I made calls to people to tell them my plans to host free dance classes.”
One of his many affirming moments was when Cape Town-based Hip Hop choreographer Jason Sisam told him that he knew from the time he saw Sherwin perform at one of his shows, that he was destined for this and more. “I was honoured and humbled to have the support of such an accomplished dancer,” said the 21-year-old.
His first class was an overwhelming success where 28 enthusiastic dancers brought the BAT Centre to life. “I was blown away. All I can do is thank God. Before I knew it I held another class and it has just been ongoing from there. The initiative has gained so much traction,” said the dancer who hopes to one day own a centre that will nurture young talent.
Like something out of a movie, in just four months Sherwin’s dream is thriving into reality and has seen him feature and choreograph advertisements for popular brands like JAM, Toughees, Mr Price and Discovery. Through his passion and charismatic drive, he also managed to bag a full sponsorship from SAS Cares, who pay for the dance studios at the centre where he holds his classes, which are open to anyone eager to move to a beat.
Asked whether his success ever frightens him, he said, “No. I’m not nervous because I saw this coming from the age of four. I know how brave I am and I know what strengths I have. I’m just excited to see what’s next. I want to be on a great platform so I can help the next generation of dancers to become greater while sharing my love and passion.”
His free dance classes will resume at the BAT Centre when lockdown restrictions are eased. To join or for more information send an email to Sherwin at sherwinmarkgreen13@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @sherwinmarkgreen
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