UL dancer Molemo Moholane wins world championship in solo performance
University of Limpopo (UL) third-year Optometry student and UL Dance Club member, Molemo Moholane, recently captivated the audience at an international dance competition, proudly carrying the University’s flag.
Moholane not only raised the South African flag but also represented the entire African continent by securing the first position at the annual Dutch Open Championships and Open World Championships in the category for Open World Amateur Solo Latin, held recently in the Netherlands.
Competing against sixteen contestants in the quarterfinal stage, including participants from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, among other continents, Moholane delivered a stellar performance, earning him a gold medal for his outstanding achievement.
In this international competition, UL was also well represented by the dance couple, Happy Ramano and Adelaide Hlungwani. They performed in the Over 30 Years Championship, securing an impressive fifth position globally.
Additionally, Akani Hlungwani, another UL dancer and a Grade 9 learner at Noordeland High School in Polokwane, has been acknowledged for her solo dancing prowess and has earned qualification to the top twelve.
The entire team earned the opportunity to compete globally after dominating all Super Series competitions in 2022 and proudly donning the prestigious Federation South Africa (SA) colors.
Moholane began dancing at the age of 11, viewing it as an expressive art form. “It allows me to communicate joy, sadness, passion, or a range of emotions through movement. Dancing serves as a form of physical activity that promotes good health, flexibility, and overall well-being,” said Moholane, expressing his intention to continue dancing as long as possible.
Moholane credited his coaches, Happy Ramano and Adelaide Hlungwani, as well as dance role models Sharif Mirkhanov and Nikita Pavlov, for inspiration and guidance.
Ramano and Hlungwani, the ballroom and Latin couple dancers, are no strangers to global competitions. They entered this year’s Dutch Open Championships and Open World Championships competition as defending champions, having secured a gold medal in their debut international appearance in 2022, leaving an indelible mark on the history of dance.
Coach Ramano expressed immense pride in the accomplishments of Moholane and Hlungwani, stating: “It shows that we are an international institution, a dance studio that qualifies people nationally and internationally. We won nationally, and now we are winning internationally.”
She emphasized that the success of the team in this global competition not only underscores the talent nurtured at UL but also highlights the institution’s commitment to fostering excellence in diverse fields, including the arts.