Young street dancers from Schalkwijk can now go to the World Championships thanks to an unexpected donation from the municipality

The girls from Schalkwijk between the ages of 11 and 13 are Dutch champions. And after another successful European Championship where they finished third, they also qualified for the world championship at the end of August this year. Just like last year. But then they could not compete for the honor, because the journey to it could not be financed.

Motion

By selling cupcakes and bracelets, odd jobs and crowdfunding through the Yvonne van Gennip Foundation, the girls tried to raise as much money as possible for years. That still wasn’t enough. Thanks to a real motion from the PvdA in the Haarlem city council, which was adopted with one vote, they still receive a contribution.

Alderman Eva de Raadt warned that now more athletes can come to the town hall for a subsidy. But many political parties may think it is time for a special fund to financially support talented athletes. The girls of D-Squad have now given the lead for this.

For teacher Sanne Klasen of dance school TWO-Dance it is an extra helping hand. Together with the Nederlandse Algemene Danssport Bond, she also argues that dancing should be seen as a sport. “Now we fall under culture and we often do not qualify for subsidies and funds.”

The girls of D-Squad will certainly put their best foot forward at the Hip-hop and Streetdance World Championships in Blackpool in Great Britain on August 23. With the Japanese girls team as the biggest competitor. They train eight hours a week. The coming summer, the Schalkwijk girls will perform as much as possible in Haarlem, as they did this weekend at the Veerstock festival.

Watch the report here, where Chayen and Luna explain how happy they are with the gift from the municipality of Haarlem.