Anthony is an 11-year-old kid from Lagos, Nigeria, whose dancing has gone viral thanks to a video of him carrying out ballet in the rain. It looks like an unlikely stage: an unequal cement patio area, with trash and dog crates of empty bottles stacked against an unpainted wall, and what appears like a lady cleaning clothes in a pail in the background. Anthony appears to be in a various world as he with dignity pirouettes, leaps, and poses elegantly.
“Where I live there are no male ballet dancers … [people] believe it’s only for girls”
11-year-old Nigerian dancing feeling Anthony Madu informs us about his dreams of becoming an expert ballet dancer and wowing the world with his talent. @camerassassin pic.twitter.com/adKz38xSm2
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) July 11, 2020
The video captured the attention of stars such as actress Viola Davis, who won an Oscar for her role in the 2016 film Fences. She retweeted the video and commented, “Reminds me of the charm of my individuals. We create, skyrocket, can think of, have unleashed enthusiasm, and love … regardless of the brutal challenges that have been put in front people! Our people can fly!!!”
Advises me of the beauty of my people. We produce, skyrocket, can picture, have actually let loose passion, and love … in spite of the harsh challenges that have actually been put in front people! Our individuals can fly!!! ❤ pic.twitter.com/LNyWD2ZoU0
— Viola Davis (@violadavis) June 24, 2020
Anthony got more than simply 15 minutes of popularity from the video’s success: A Reuters article in the Washington Post reports that the American Ballet Theatre has actually provided him a scholarship to train essentially this summertime, using web access they’ve arranged for him. Next year he will travel to the United States to continue his ballet studies there, thanks to a scholarship from Ballet Beyond Borders. The Post reports that the video has actually also influenced lots of individuals to make contributions to the Leap of Dance academy in Lagos, where Anthony has been studying up until now.
Ballet: For both young boys and women
“When individuals see ballet they think it is only for women,” Anthony told the BBC. “It’s for both boys and girls,” he states, priced estimate by the Leap of Dance Academy. His coach at the academy is a role design for him. “When he’s dancing I feel very delighted, as if it is me that is dancing,” Anthony says during the BBC interview. Certainly, the Academy advises its Instagram followers that “When ballet was produced 400 years earlier, it was created for men. Male were the very first dancers.”
Anthony’s mom is really supportive, although in the beginning his interest in ballet took her by surprise. According to the Reuters post in the Washington Post, his moms and dads were hoping he ‘d end up being a priest, but rather than enforce a course on him, they’re supporting his passion. “My guidance to moms and dads is when they discover any talent in their kids, they need to follow it up and provide their full support so that the kid will go far with the talent,” his mother told the BBC.
The Leap of Dance Academy makes a point of acknowledging that type of parental assistance, stating, “Special shout-out to all moms and dads who have allowed their kids to dance.”
“Speaking from the Nigerian perspective, many kids are enrolled in school to have a clerical job however never to become a dancer. We hope encouraging and inspirational mommies like Anthony’s mommy have actually given us a reason for early kid skill discovery. We are the Nigerian ballet school,” adds the Academy’s post.
Anthony is a genuinely gifted boy, and we wish him a terrific experience training in the U.S. and continuing his study of ballet. Maybe one day we will see him perform at a ballet theater in our own city!