Corporate manager by day and fiery ballroom and Latin dancer by night. What started off as a high school dance class for Durban North resident, Tony Fourie, has turned into a whirlwind career that spans an incredible 20 years.
Putting his best foot forward in his performances, with passion and dedication towards mastering an array of styles such as ballroom, Latin and ballet, saw Fourie scoop first place in several major competitions on a provincial and national level. Never one to shy away from learning something new or a challenge, Fourie was even featured as a backup dancer on a major Bollywood production.
After a lengthy Covid-19 induced break, the dance aficionado is currently gearing up for his spotlight at Durban’s biggest dance extravaganza, Shall We Dance, a production that he was part of for the last 12 years. Commenting on his journey into the glamorous world of dance, Fourie said it was the performance aspect that sparked his passion for the art form.
“I’m not particularly creative by nature, but dancing is my creative outlet which keeps me sane and brings me immense joy. I was very nervous the first time I performed on stage and messed up my steps in one of the numbers, but it was a thrill and I was hooked. My interest has evolved around all aspects of dancing from music to technique and ultimately to the joy of dance,” said Fourie
His affair with Shall We Dance started when he saw the show for the very first time, over a decade ago, and knew that it was a production he wanted to get involved in. While taking ballet classes, he grabbed the opportunity to join the Young Dancers Project (YDP), a group that cemented its place on the extravaganza’s stage.
“I was still involved with YDP for a few more years, but also took part in ballroom and Latin formations, since 2008, and I’ve been part of the Dance Basics formation team since 2009. When it comes to expression, it comes down to the music. If I can feel the music, then I find it a lot easier to express the dance style,” said Fourie.
He said: “For Latin I rely on feeling the beat of the music, but for ballroom it’s more about the melody, and each style within those genres (there are 10) has a distinct feeling. For example, you need a party vibe in the Samba and your body has to ‘tick’ along to the beat while engaging your hips, but isolating your upper body. The Waltz on the other hand is much more classical and smooth, with rise and fall, and making sure you’re on balance with your partner even if you have to hold a position for a few bars, because that’s what the music is telling you to do.”
When it comes down to dance, what puts a spring in Fourie’s step is expressing himself and letting his audience experience his love and passion for the craft. For Fourie, the mental and emotional preparation begins from the very first rehearsal. Once familiarising the routine, moving and swaying to the beat becomes second nature and everything falls into place.
“On the night of a performance I like to get to the theatre early and make sure my outfits are ready and everything is in place. There is also a great comfort in dancing with a partner as you can support each other and share the experience.”
Despite putting tons of hours working to master various dance styles, the most challenging aspect to Fourie is balancing his work with his dance and practise time.
“It requires dedication and time commitment, so the support of family and friends is important, which I thankfully have,” he said.
