KNYSNA NEWS - The dynamic dancers of Pro Academy Knysna took part in the national round of the SA Talent Championships (Satch) in Pretoria last week and brought home no less than 15 medals for their efforts on stage.

From 29 September to 6 October at the Sorex Estate, the team performed a total of 15 dance items consisting of hip-hop, character and modern dance, and brought home six bronze and nine silver medals. 

"I am beyond proud of my team," says Maria Coetzer, dance teacher and member of the team that raked in the medals.

According to Coetzer their trio item, consisting of Catherine Haman, Nicole Roos-Bolton and herself, received two bronze medals and one silver, while one of Pro Academy's duet items, consisting of herself and Haman, received two silver and one bronze medal.

The other duet, comprised of Amrita ten Velde and Julia Susman, won them two silver and one bronze, matched by Pro Academy's five-member mini group "The 5th Star" made up of Ten Velde, Susman, Gigi Botha, Jessica du Plessis and Nicole van Strijp.

Pro Academy's eight-member group "Elementrix", comprised of Ten Velde, Susman, Haman, Botha, Du Plessis, Roos-Bolton, Van Strijp and Coetzer herself, received two silver and one bronze medal.

"I'm so incredibly proud of their growth and performance! For most of them this was their first time competing on a national level, making their results absolutely outstanding," Coetzer says.

The peppy little crew of Knysna girls and their instructor danced themselves into the national leg of Satch at the regional leg of the competition in May this year where they were also awarded their SWD colours.

The winning girls (from left) are Gigi Botha, Jessica du Plessis, Maria Coetzer (coach), Julia Susman, Nicole van Strijp, Amrita ten Velde, Nicole Roos-Bolton and Catherine Haman. Photo: Supplied

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