The young Coco Surmon of Paarl is the first person with Down Syndrome to ever dance at the Paarl Valley Eisteddfod. Despite her challenges she is breaking barriers and setting the stage on fire with her uniqueness.
The 11-year-old girl with Down Syndrome has been a student at Bianca’s School of Ballet for the past four years. Bianca Baxter, Coco’s ballet teacher, says the young dancer is determined even though her abilities differ from the rest of dancers. And even that can’t hold her back.
“We do not have any specific competitions for people with Down Syndrome, such as an eisteddfod,” she said. “We do not have anything special for such children. I just thought this year to give that child the opportunity to take part in the Eisteddfod – it’s bigger than getting a trophy or cum laude.”
Coco has a twin sister Malika, who also does ballet. Baxter also describes Malika as an excellent ballet dancer, who ropes in gold medals and cum laude certificates. Coco is part of a younger ballet group. Baxter says she is very disciplined in class and copes with the dance routines.
“The most beautiful thing is that everyone loves her,” she says. “We have so much respect for her, because she does not disrupt the class, and she can remember patterns. You get different categories of Down Syndrome and she has it all. She is a complete Down Syndrome child.
“Coco is part of a group, and she takes part in every concert. She just wasn’t as ready as she was this year for the eisteddfod. I just included her and she remembered everything. She and her team, Cotton Candy, won gold. The best reward for me was to see her on stage.”
According to Baxter she also noticed Coco loves music. She also credits the fact that Malika and their mother Liz Surmon’s support is what boosts Coco to do what she loves with passion. She is defying every stigma about her condition. “She has been involved with Bianca’s School of Ballet for about four years and she dances in Paarl. She dances twice a week for 45 minutes, which is long to concentrate at time.”
Surmon says both her daughters also compete in rhythmic gymnastics at the Infinity Rhythmic Gymnastics Club.
She is very grateful for Coco’s teachers and coaches, who have welcomed her into their classes with open arms and hearts.
Malika aspires to be a special-needs teacher one day, and even practise ballet at home with Coco.
“Ballet is about perfection and beauty,” she says. “Coco will never do it perfectly, but her absolute love for dance shines through. I am tremendously proud of her. When you have a child with Down Syndrome, you are told about what they won’t achieve. I never thought we would have the opportunities to dance and for Coco to feel so part of the community.
“I hope that Coco will be an inspiration to new parents with children who has Down Syndrome.”
