30 years of IDO World Tap dance Championships
SHARON HUMPHREY† / Johannesburg - South Africa Teacher | Choreographer | IDO Judge Text by Sharon’s daughter Camilla Humphrey -Wendt
Sharon attended the IDO world tap championships for the first time together with her childhood dancing teacher, mentor and friend Gloria Fish in 1998 together with Beverly Wood with one tap dancer who she trained, Daniella Keet. There was great excitement for the trip not only because it was a world tap championships but also her first time in Germany and experiencing an icy European winter. Sharon was amazed at the professionalism of the whole competition and the outstanding level of dancing, she came home completely inspired to bring more dancers from South Africa and train her dancers to reach such a level. When she returned home to
South Africa the hard work started – hours of choreography, choosing music, rehearsals, costumes, qualifying competitions – her goal was to take her South African dancers to experience the world stage.
In 2000 she took both a tap team as well as a Showdance team. For the dancers this was an exciting and extraordinary experience which they all still speak of today and brought together many lifelong friendships between young dancers (and their mothers who joined). The whole year was always with the focus of working hard towards Riesa, for so many young girls it was the goal to dance on the stage at Riesa and be part of the excitement, wear their colorful South African tracksuits, wave the South African flag on the stage in the finals evening opening ceremony and hope to see snow and of course enjoy the magic of the German Christmas markets. The Christmas markets and spirit around Riesa, Dresden and Leipzig was always so special and enchanting for Sharon, she loved it. In 2003 she brought her sister and mother who were also both passionate about dance to Riesa to experience the exceptional Riesa dancing and German fairytale Christmas flair. Sharon attended the IDO Showdance and tap world championships every year and became an IDO judge in 2001. She made some very close friends through the IDO who she enjoyed exchanging choreography ideas with, laughing with, remembering outstanding pieces and dancers from the past. She invited both Mathew Clark and Jacques Montfiston to South Africa to choreograph for South Africa and they formed such special friendships through dance. In 2006 Sharon was diagnosed with cervical cancer, but she held onto dancing right until the end until she couldn’t stand anymore. She still taught her girls through all her treatment and refused to give up and let them down. She founded the charity ‘Dance for a Cure’ in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline which raised money through dance to vaccinate young girls and boys to prevent cervical cancer. She passed away peacefully with her family and loved ones by her side on 25 th December 2007. Her memory will continue to live on through dance and the beautiful ending to the tragic loss is that by going to Riesa and taking South Africans to the world stage, she gave her daughter the opportunity to meet her wonderful husband, Philip.
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