Viral video of Nigerian boy’s barefoot ballet dance in the rain earns scholarship from American Ballet Theatre
- The footwork of 11-year-old Anthony Mmesoma Madu was a social media sensation and stunned celebrities including actresses Viola Davis and Cynthia Erivo
- Thanks to his online exploits, Madu has earned a scholarship vrom the prestigious American Ballet Theatre in New York
A video of Anthony Mmesoma Madu dancing has changed the 11-year-old boy’s life. The clip shows Madu performing ballet, barefoot on wet ground, as it drizzles in Lagos, Nigeria.
Watched by viewers worldwide, Anthony’s performance has turned him into a social media sensation. Millions saw his pirouettes in the rain and leaps through puddles, after the video was shared by American actress Viola Davis and British actress Cynthia Erivo.
Anthony has now earned a scholarship with the American Ballet Theatre in the United States, thanks to the film. Right now he is too young to join the school, though, so will attend a summer school in 2021.
He also won the South African International Ballet Competition’s Ballet Beyond Borders grand prize in a virtual event in July. The prize includes a full scholarship to attend classes in Los Angeles or the US state of Montana, accompanied by his instructor.
“I feel very happy about the scholarship in the US,” he said, before adding: “Sometimes I feel nervous leaving my family and travelling to another country.”