Seth set to dance in the Big Apple

Seth Cloete

The bright lights of the Big Apple are calling out to City Bowl performing artist Seth Cloete,19, who has been given the opportunity to study theatre at New York University (NYU) from September.

Before he can jet off, though, Seth, needs to raise at least half the funds for his tuition and accommodation.

However, he remains optimistic as he and his family have already overcome numerous financial challenges over the years.

Seth is one of two siblings. He said he and his sister, Sherm, used to dance together and he already knew from the age of four that he was destined to become a dancer.

As a teenager, he studied drama and dance through a scholarship at Reddam School in Constantia.

He said his parents, Sharon and Ronald, had worked hard to help him succeed.

“My situation at home only pushed me to excel because my parents were sacrificing so much,” said Seth.

The ambitious performer decided to try his luck when he was in Grade 12 in 2017, he and applied to The Juilliard School for performing arts, which is also in New York City.

To his and everyone else’s surprise, he received an invitation to a live audition.

However, the excitement was short lived as he could not afford to go to America, even with the support of his school.

Shorty after he matriculated, Seth said he took it upon himself to reapply to both Juilliard and NYU.

This time he travelled all the way to New York only to fall ill just three days before his audition for Juilliard.

He was more successful in an online audition for NYU and is now raising funds to make up the 50% shortfall by working as a waiter at the V&A Waterfront and through online crowd-funding platform, BackABuddy.

Seth said he was doing everything in his power to make sure his dreams came true.

He wants to show people that dance can be used as a way to express yourself.

Seth would have to take up residence by August 25 and classes start on September 3.

He said he wanted to inspire other children and teach them to use dance as a platform to tell their truth and help set the bar high as South Africans in the dance industry.