Doreen Mokgolo
When Omphile Mohajane was six years old, she started watching YouTube videos of ballerinas and dance tutorials in her bedroom.
Now aged 10, Omphile is set to compete on the international stage at the American Dance Awards National competition in Orlando, Florida, USA in July.
The home-taught dancer from Tshwane qualified for the international competition last October during a national competition held in Joburg.
The competition is set to give dancers an opportunity to make invaluable connections and give them a network of professionals as they start out on their own careers.
Omphile said she is working hard to win the competition.
“My teacher told me that if I practice daily I may one day be a world-recognised dancer,” she said.
“I start every morning at 5am and practice for 30 minutes before I prepare for school.”
The little girl is hoping to bring the cup back home.
“I have worked hard and I am ready to show the world that I was born to be a dancer,” she said.
Her father Justice Mohajane said he knew that Omphile’s hard work will one day pay-off.
“She learned to dance from YouTube. From the age of six she would watch ballet videos and try to imitate the dancers, while locked in her bedroom,” he said.
“I thought she was just going through a phase but she never stopped dancing.”
When the family realised their daughter enjoyed dancing they enrolled her at Ezintle School of Dance in Pretoria West early last year.
Justice couldn’t believe his ears when he was told that his daughter had made it in the national competition.
He knew she was talented but thought she needed more professional help to improve her skill before she could compete on the international stage.
The family is currently raising funds to enable the little dancer to travel to the USA.
