Curro Waterfall Q & A with Shriya Somaroo (Grade 10) and her dance team (Pulse Empire) participated in the Dance World Cup (SA) finals in March 2022 and were placed 1^st in both their categories and qualified to represent South Africa at the World Cup Champions later this year (venue not confirmed as yet).  They subsequently participated in The Battle of the Giants at Sun City (21 – 24 April 2022) and were placed 3^rd and 4^th in their categories.

Do you remember when your love for dance started? I started dancing at an early age. Initially, it was just a hobby but, I really enjoyed it and I started dancing competitively.

What is it about dance that you love so much? The feeling of freedom that it gives me. I am able to express myself, while being around people with a similar energy and vibe.

How much time do you spend practicing? About 4 hours a week but, during competition time, the hours are much longer. Sometimes as much as 5 hours a day.

What is your favourite style of dance and why? Bollywood. I actually first started doing Bollywood dancing before I did Hip hop. Apart from being a style that I enjoy, I identify with it culturally as well.

 What do you like the most about dancing in a team? It’s fun to be around people who love dancing as much as I do. We’re all working towards the same goal, and we are a family.

How do you feel about the recent competitions, you recently competed in (Dance world Cup SA and Battle of the giants)? These were very difficult as the competition we up against was very strong. There were many talented dancers there, and we had to work very hard to earn our spot.

What categories did you participate in? Hip hop senior large group commercial and Hip hop large group ‘open-entry’

What were the challenges that you came across in these competitions? As I participate in the large group category, one of our challenges is to ensure that we are all in sync. This requires a lot of practicing and perfecting. Covid-19 has also been a challenge over the last 2 years, from practising with a mask, social distancing and a few of our competitions were postponed.

Which other competitions do you wish to participate in future? My next competition is the “World of Dance” competition coming up in June 2022.

Do you have any advice for your peers who love dancing and wish to start competing? Go for it! It requires a lot of hard work and dedication but, it’s an incredible experience that’s worth it.

 Do you want to continue dancing when you complete your schooling? Definitely! I love dancing

 Do you have anything else you would like to add? It’s important to find something that you love doing and pursue it. It’s not about being the best but being able to say that you’ve tried your best.

Shriya

Shriya