Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting Ricardo. An amazing human being with a beautiful soul and such vibrant energy! Believe it or not, our paths were meant to cross. His path hasn't been easy, and the journey of personal growth still continues. But it all starts with talent, love and passion for dance.
One of the first things he told me was his first encounter with classical music: the ice cream truck. We all know the sound, that melody that creates excitement in children, that sparks that joy an ice cream brings on a hot summer day. But for Ricardo, it was so much more than ice cream. That melody was the first classical music he ever heard. And that sparked more than just joy: a curiosity to this new music and the start of his passion for dance. At 5 years old something ignited in him, and his love for dance was born. That classical music and that undeniable urge to dance are still present after 53 years. He still teaches dance, has started his own Non-profit, and still works with disadvantaged kids from similar backgrounds as himself.
So how does dance save a life? The answer is simple, the reality is a little less. Because dance created dreams for Ricardo, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities and purpose. Exctacy, joy, happiness and light in the dark is what dance means to him. So yes, the answer is simple: it created a mission in life. But in reality, nothing is simple, because that mission can sometimes feel like a mission impossible. It comes with a lot of uncertainty, other peoples disapproval and opinions about "a certain lifestyle" and it requires an amazing sense of intuition and people skills. And there is no other way to say this but Ricardo has mastered all that could go wrong, and still follows his dream and his path.
One story he told me showed me exactly the kind of person that he is. Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia in 2004: the deadliest tsunami in history. We've all seen the news footage, we've all heard the stories, we've all thanked God we were not there. But Ricardo was. And what he did was more than just humanitarian aid, more than just providing the necessities of life. Because at the orphanage that he went to after the tsunami, he gave those kids something else. Namely, the joy of dance. And one could say "but don't these kids just need food and clothing after such a traumatic event?". Well, yes of course. But what Ricardo gave them was something money cannot buy. He allowed them to forget the misery for a second, to dance around and laugh, to feel that joy and to play around. A way of leaving the world behind for a bit, and just being kids. And that is exactly why I always say it does not take much to be kind and to help others. For Ricardo, his help and kindness were not based on money. It was based on love and happiness.
His dance brings something to life, it creates possibilities, dreams, love and joy. And it does not matter how old you are, it does not matter what the colour of your skin is, it does not matter where you live: we all need love and joy in life. We all want to dream, we all want to forget the world sometimes. And that is what dance does, and that is how dance saves lives.
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Ricardo's Dance Studio has been working with thousands and thousands of kids around Cape Town and international and recently, the studio came to Hout Bay, showing kids the art of dance. Ricardo Koopman who grew up in Hout Bay decided to get involved with his old stomping grounds but needs help in trying to keep his project afloat.
"I would love to help everybody, but I can't because I also have to work in order to survive. If there are people who can come out and support some of these kids, who are extremely talented, it could go a very long way towards helping them," he said. The dance studio now has children from Sea Point to Hout Bay, but Mr Koopman has set his sights on helping more children, with the right support backing him. "There are so many talented kids out there, we just need to give them a proper platform. I want to be able to provide that and with the right help, I can help," Mr Koopman stressed. Help or find out more about the dance studio, or email them on ricardosdancestudio@gmail.com or contact Ricardo on +27 72 100 7170
