The Open Dance Championships will be serving up Ballroom, Latin, Salsa, Bachata, Ballet, Sbujwa/Amapiano, Contemporary, and Aerobics team matches. Kesego Lopang, the brains behind the event and a global dance sensation with gold medals in Russia and Greece, and a bronze in Italy, spilt the beans to MmegiSport, dubbing it the most eye-popping event in the Botswana Dance Sport calendar.
“We're expecting a throng of over 250 local movers and shakers and a foot-tapping 150 from foreign shores. Invites have been flung far and wide, reaching the likes of China, India, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Seychelles, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe,” she spilt. Lopang teased about the star-studded line-up of international experts, Happy Ramano and Adelaide Hlungwane, current top dogs in Dance Sport South Africa (DSSA). Local darlings, Shawn Mapogo and Motheo Ntshese from the University of Botswana (UB) dance studio are set to grace the championships. These hot-steppers previously made waves as finalists at the Youth Raising Star during the All South Africa Open Championships.
According to Lopang, the essence of the championships goes beyond just dancing - it's about celebrating Botswana’s independence and stoking the fires of patriotism, national identity, unity, and pride. “These championships represent the past, present and future aspirations of our nation.
That is, our national vision outcomes, the aspirations of the youth and Botswana’s dream along wellness, sport, arts and culture as we aspire to have the country placed high in the world map as our pride and everybody’s destination,” she declared. Lopang sees the championships not just as a dance floor showdown but as a melting pot of ideas, a space where international and local Dance Sport aficionados and officials can mingle, share thoughts, and groove to the rhythm of collaboration. “It is a platform to sell Botswana to the world as the number one tourism destination in Africa.
The event will also play a pivotal role in Dance Sport development,” Lopang asserted. The entrance fee is P50 for children, and P100 for adults while a VIP seat is P500.
