My
name is Kenneth Maarup. I’m 19 years old and I live in Copenhagen, Denmark
(North Europe). I’m a dancer and I’ve danced since I was 3 years old. End
of August 2004 I came to the Boot Camp in London. Actually, I rush into
the competition without knowing what it really was about, but my dream
and goal is to be a really well known dancer and I saw the opportunity
to take a major step in the right direction.
We started out being 30 dancers from all over Europe and after the first day, we were reduced to 15! We danced about 10-12 hours that day. It was pretty though, but mostly because of the mentally pressure we were exposed to. We knew that the elimination was fifty-fifty and that you only had that one chance to convince Wade to go further on.
At first it was very hard for me to establish contact to the other dancers, because one never knew, who was to be send home next day. I was so nervous and focused only about routines and my performances; I totally forgot to show my personality on the floor.
Wade Robson was aware of that and told me to relax and lighten up and that help me a lot.
After the big elimination, we were split into 2 groups. One group to be with Lizza Bixler and the other group with Lavelle Smith Jr. We were thought new routines to Prodigy “Girls” and
Jets “Are you gonna be my girl” which we, if we got to the finial, had to compete in our free style as well as the choreographed routines.
After 3 eliminations we were reduced to 8 dancers and the Boot Camp was finished. Now we could concentrate about the show and the final competition.
The following days were fantastic: We were dressed and styled, we got some free time in London shopping and talking and a very close friendship was build between some of us. We didn’t see ourselves as competitors, more like a group making a show together. In that time I was progressing not only in the dance routines, but also as a person. I was getting used to the cameras around me, which had been my biggest problem – not when I danced, but in general. To be openhearted and interviewed all the time in front of the cameras, that was a barrier that I had to let go of.
The last day in the studio was overwhelming. Everybody were making there effort to that all of us were alright and comfortable. The excitement was high among the dancers as well as the staff around us. The stage was fantastic: the lights and spots were impressing and you just had to pinch your arm making sure that it was real and not a dream.
Dancing on that stage, in that light and with a great audience – together with Wade that was amazing. It was not a competition – not a game, but a show that we had fought for – This is our passion and that’s why we were here!
After 10 hard working days in London, we all went home to our families and friends – and it felt like a vacuum. We all had a strange feeling of emptiness and it was difficult to find the energy to go on seeking our own goals again.
The
group does get in touch from time to time and it would be fantastic to
meet each other again and maybe dance together again – one never knows…
By
Kenneth Maarup, Denmark 2004
Exclusively
for Wade-J-Robson.com (Formerly Wade Robson Online)