Ballroom Fever
South Africa's second most popular pastime
This charming documentary from Jurgen Schadeberg covers the annual ballroom dancing competition in Sun City, South Africa. In a country still suffering the injustice of apartheid, this colourful, escapist pleasure provides a worthy, enjoyable distraction - a way for South Africa's youth to quickstep, waltz and samba their way to a new life.
Ballroom dancing is the second most popular pastime in South Africa. It is passionately practised by hundreds of thousands of devotees of all ages, classes, and cultures. "I like dancing, because it's fun", says one child competitor. "Dancing is teaching us something that other people don't know." Priscilla Myburg, former ballroom dancing champion and now teacher, believes its influence goes further. "It keeps them off the street. Crime, doing unnecessary things like smoking, fighting", she says. "It really encourage them to do better at school, because they've got to give in those extra two hours three or twice a week." From parents to children to teachers, the message is the same: ballroom dancing is a positive hobby for young South Africans to engage in, promoting unity, harmony, and a healthy lifestyle.
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