Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
They’re dead serious about dance
Tyler Adams and Zoë Harker have won many awards for their skills in belly dancing
TYLER Adams, 14, and Zoë Harker, 11, are shimmying and shaking their way to the top.
They are dancers at Aphrodite Belly Dance Studio in San Remo, a school for shaping the top belly dancers in the city.
Tyler comes from Strandfontein and began belly dancing at the age of 12. She began formal classes in June last year.
She has received four certificates and two silver medals for solo and duet dances so far.
Tyler said: “I have been bullied a lot in school due to my weight and height. When a friend introduced me to belly dancing, I happened to fall in love with the dance. It helped me gain confidence. It always makes me strive to do my best at all times.”
Not only was she a part of the
CIAD (World Confederation of Dance Professionals ) International Dance Competition this year, but she also placed second for the junior division for her solo performance.
Tyler also won a silver medal for her performance in the junior duet division. Her team won gold in the junior division group.
They also won a trophy for a group performance at the Artscape School Art Festival last month.
“My goal is to travel the world one day and to explore different types of dance. My dream is to teach the art of belly dancing to children who have been bullied,” said Tyler.
Zoë, from Westridge, began belly dancing lessons at the age of 4.
Since then she’s been dancing at the Baxter, Artscape and the Waterfront.
In 2013, she entered the Miss SA Belly Dance competition in Johannesburg.
She placed first with her duet partner in their age category in 2014. In 2015, she placed second and third in the categories she entered.
Zoë performed in the 2014 CIAD showcase and placed second in the wings prop (a category where dancers dance in a winged costume) and third for her solo in the 2015 show.
During 2018 and 2019, she again participated in the CIAD showcase. Last year, she won three silver medals and one gold. This year, she walked away with two silvers and one gold.
Zoë’s goal is to become a professional belly dancer.