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Teen breakdancer shows off her moves in Paris - 'I want to spread the culture of dance'

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BGirl Keisha says break dancers in Europe are highly skilled and she wants to help South Africa reach those levels.
BGirl Keisha says break dancers in Europe are highly skilled and she wants to help South Africa reach those levels.
Mpumelelo Macu

From sport to cinema, fashion to the culinary arts, South Africans have been showing off their talents globally.

If it's not the rugby players coming home with the trophy, it's musicians and comedians getting nominated for Grammys. 

For dancers, one of the only ways to show off what they can do is through competitions such as Britain's Got Talent. 

But for breakdancers who have a more niche style, it's harder to make a big impact.

But one Western Cape teenager is doing it.

Lakeisha Dick, who goes by the moniker BGirl Keisha, wowed audiences with her performance in Paris recently.

The 19-year-old from Ocean View in Cape Town is a versatile breaker who won a local leg of the global break-dancing competition BC One which is powered by energy drink brand Red Bull.

The contest is hosted in numerous nations around the world with the winners afforded the opportunity to battle it out a global finals held this year in Paris.

“I won one of the Red Bull BC One breaking competitions in South Africa and I represented South Africa in Paris at the global Red Bull BC One final. My experience in Paris was amazing and I gained more knowledge of breaking and the people.”

She has been dancing for nine years now and so the chance to go overseas so early on in her career was a feat. She has taken a few lessons on board after her battle at the global final, too.

“The breaking level in Paris is extremely high and the breakers are very consistent compared to our breaking scene including their level of difficulty. My battle wasn't too bad it was just very tough as you know,” she explains.  

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This particular branch of local hip hop does play out at specific gatherings despite the skill that is required to perform this art form. Keisha has a few ideas around how the culture of breaking can be grown locally.

BGirl Keisha
Lakeisha Dick won a local leg of the Red Bull BC One competition which saw her go on to compete in the global final held in Paris, France.
Mpumelelo Macu

“In my opinion we as breakers need to compete more internationally than to compete with each other so that we can gain more experience and it will also broaden our mindsets.”

It is also fitting that after 50 years of global hip hop this dancing code will be given space at the upcoming Olympics in 2024. Hopefully South Africa will dip into the deep pool of breaking talents and send over a formidable team which coincidentally will be held in Paris France.

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“I'm not totally sure about me competing in the Olympics but it is very good seeing breaking as an Olympic sport and also now the breakers will be able to showcase their talent to everyone across the world,” she says.  

Passing the proverbial baton on to the next generation of young intrepid minds who would want to explore this form of expression is something Keisha thinks will serve the art and now sport in good stead.

She personally wants to pursue breaking as a profession. “I want to take breaking as a career and start teaching and spreading the culture of breaking to the youth, but at the same time I also want to compete more internationally.

“I have for the past few years been too young to compete for certain competitions and it made me feel disappointed and my elbow injury affected my dancing as well but now I feel like dancing really helped me get through those obstacles."

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