VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Gilland Dance Company returned to Seychelles yesterday after their triumphant participation at the renowned World Artistic Dance Federation competition in Moscow, Russia, between March 29 and 30, 2025. The dancers have made the nation proud with their outstanding performances, securing top placements in multiple categories namely Afrobeat, dancehall, contemporary and jazz. It is to note that Seychelles has also made history by introducing the dancehall category in this competition.
Team Seychelles was welcomed at the Seychelles International Airport yesterday afternoon by David Andre, secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, and the chief executive of the National Arts and Craft Council, Jimmy Savy. The dynamic delegation of 11 individuals comprised 7 talented dancers, three judges and an official. Ruth Barbé and Denis Rose were the winners of the Couple Dance Masters category.
Four dancers, namely Kithia Julie, Amira Kalenda, Valéry Bibi and Lannah Constance, participated in the four categories, where they all won gold medals. Valéry Bibi said she was initially a bit scared but her confidence kicked in as they had practiced a lot. ‘It was an unforgettable experience and we came out with gold medals in all of our categories.’ Seychelles’ youngest performer, Zlata Odoevskaia, shone brightly in Junior Solo Contemporary and Solo Jazz. The participation was made possible through generous sponsorship from private businesses, with the Russian embassy in Seychelles being a key supporter.
