Ten-year-old twin sisters Isabella and Gabriela Cumberlege have returned home with outstanding results after proudly representing SA at the Mediterranean Legends competition in Lloret de Mar, Spain, during the June/July school holidays.
The twins, who have been dancing since the age of four, competed in the 10 to 12 age group in both dance and eisteddfod categories, earning several podium finishes while flying the SA flag high.
The twins’ achievements included second-place finishes in modern dance, prepared reading and poetry, while Isabella also claimed second place in the Czech polka, and Gabriela secured second in neoclassical ballet.
Both earned third place in ballet.
Reflecting on the experience, Isabella said representing her country on an international stage was a dream come true.
“I felt very excited and proud to represent my country at an international level. I was also extremely grateful for the opportunity.
“When I stepped onto the stage, my first feeling was one of pure delight and gratitude. I especially enjoyed the sightseeing.
“Visiting the Sagrada Família in Barcelona was a particular highlight.
“If you work hard, you can achieve anything,” Isabella said.
Her sister was very excited that their many years of hard work had finally paid off.
“The experience showed me that all my years of hard work had paid off and that my dream of dancing internationally had come true.
“I felt extremely proud and thought about all the people who had helped make the opportunity possible.
“My favourite experience away from the stage was meeting and becoming friends with other members of Team SA.
“Always work hard and never give up, because even when you make mistakes, they help us learn, grow and become better dancers,” Gabriella said.
The girls, pupils at Sunridge Primary School, trained three to four times a week at Dance Dynamics, while also practising at home and preparing mentally for the demands of an international competition.
Among their proudest achievements was their ballet duet, Double Delight, which won second place and was one of only 11 performances selected for the gala evening, where they danced on an open-air stage.
Their mother, Jalané, said watching her daughters represent SA was one of the proudest moments of her life.
“As a mother, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the young girls Isabella and Gabriela have become.
“Their resilience, dedication and commitment to everything they do makes me incredibly proud. Watching them perform internationally was one of the proudest moments of my life.”
She said their journey began when she enrolled them at Dance Dynamics at the age of four, initially to help them develop coordination and good posture.
“What started as an extracurricular activity soon became something they truly loved and excelled at,” the proud mother said.
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