Oona dances on the hip-hop competition team at Ndigo. Her parents answer questions about her competition season.
As parents, that gave us a lot of peace of mind.
How was the dance season in a competition team for you as parents?
The season went very smoothly. Communication from the school was clear. Oona never dreaded going to training or setting off for a competition. As parents, that gave us a lot of peace of mind.
How did the competitions go for your dancer?
Certainly well. It was a valuable lesson for Oona that you can't always win. At the last competition she did win the improv, and she was incredibly proud of that. It rounded off the season perfectly.
How did your dancer feel within the group?
She was welcomed into the team really well. At one point teacher Justine even let her step in for a dancer who was ill, which meant a lot to her. At first things moved quite fast and Oona felt a bit scared of not being able to keep up. But Justine guided her really well, so she caught up with the hip-hop steps quickly.
Keep going and keep doing your best — that's what it's really about.
Did your dancer learn anything new this season?
Absolutely. The most important lesson: winning is great, but it doesn't always happen. Keep going and keep doing your best — that's what it's really about. That's something that comes in handy outside the dance studio too.
Did the dance season turn out as you had expected?
Yes, and actually more than that. A happy daughter who came to training with pleasure and headed to competitions without a second thought. As a parent, you can't really wish for more.
Any tips for Ndigo?
Last year the first competition fell quite early in the season, possibly a bit too early. This year it was later, which worked out well to get the routine down. Adding an extra competition would definitely be a bonus for us.