MOSSEL BAY NEWS - With only two and a half years of tap dancing behind her, the 12-year-old Keira Meiring recently received the highest honours for a South African dancer: her South African Protea Colours for Dance Sport.
Keira, who started her tap dancing journey at Steps Academy in Mossel Bay when she was 10, was awarded her colours by the Federation of Dance Sport SA in October, just after her selection to the South African National Tap Dance Team.
A few days after that, Keira travelled all the way to Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, to perform at the International Dance Organisation’s (Ido) Tap Dance World Championship, which she said was absolutely amazing.
When asked why she started tap dancing, Keira said she had participated in hip-hop dancing classes and ballet, but felt she wanted to try something else instead.
“I asked my mum if I could quit hip-hop and try tap. From the very first class, I knew this was what I loved,” she said. “Keira is always moving her feet and has done so from a young age. She is sort of like Happy Feet,” laughed her father, Gert.
“I can never keep my feet still, so tap is a way to embrace this through dance. It also helps a lot with rhythm. I play cello and violin as well,” Keira said.
Keira’s mother, Joey, said tap can be seen as dancers making music with their feet. “We are super proud of her,” the parents said. “Anything she takes on, she does well."
Gert, Keira and Joey Meiring. Photo: Chelsea Pieterse
She also received the top achiever award for her grade this last term. She pushes herself. She wakes us up early in the mornings because she is so excited to get to school.”
Keira attends King’s College and plays her cello in the school’s worship band every Friday.
Besides her love of tap dancing and ballet, the violin and the cello, Keira is an avid reader, her favourite genre being fantasy and her favourite book series being Warriors, which delves into the adventures of multiple clans of feral cats.
It was her love of this series that led her to explore making medicinal herbal remedies. She has her very own garden and loves to make teas.
She is also a fantastic golfer and recently made the A team at the Mossel Bay Youth Clinic at the Mossel Bay Golf Course.
When asked what she would like to be when she grows up, she said she has quite a few plans.
“I want to be a professional golfer. Once I have achieved that, I want to be a qualified herbalist. I would also like to be an author and a missionary.”
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