From Ajangbadi to world stage: How Anthony Madu danced his way to stardom

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: Few years ago, connected a rainy day successful Ajangbadi, a densely populated assemblage successful Ojo, Lagos, an 11-year-old lad twirled and leaped barefoot connected a bedewed pavement.

With nary due creation studio, nary ballet shoes and nary mirrors to signifier successful beforehand of, young Anthony Madu poured his bosom into each move. He recorded the moment, uploaded it online and unknowingly acceptable successful question a communicative that would animate millions crossed the world.

That video went viral. Today, Anthony is nary longer conscionable the lad dancing successful the rain. He is present a assistance pupil astatine the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School successful the United Kingdom and the taxable of Madu, an Emmy award-winning Disney Original Documentary directed by Matt Ogens and Nigerian filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson.

A imagination calved successful obscurity“When I started doing ballet, I ne'er truly expected much,” Anthony recalled, his dependable brushed but firm, during a speech connected Arise News’s The Morning Show, monitored successful Abuja connected Friday. “I was conscionable doing what I loved to do. When the video went viral, that was my archetypal ever wow moment”, helium added.

His dream, erstwhile mocked successful his vicinity wherever boys are not expected to creation ballet, soon received planetary validation. Elmhurst Ballet School invited him for a abbreviated visit, and what began arsenic a proceedings turned into a afloat scholarship. For Anthony, it was the breakthrough helium ne'er thought possible.

The adjustment, however, was not without challenges. From learning successful a caller situation to coping with homesickness, helium admits 1 of the hardest things to springiness up is Nigerian Jollof rice. “That’s my favourite meal,” helium chuckled.

Anthony’s communicative mightiness person been mislaid successful the endless sound of the internet, but 2 filmmakers saw much than conscionable a viral clip.

Matt Ogens, an American director, described the infinitesimal helium stumbled upon the video: “Sometimes you conscionable consciousness thing successful your gut. I didn’t cognize his sanction yet, but I saw a kid mislaid successful his dream, and I needed to cognize who helium was.”

Ogens rapidly reached retired to his Nigerian counterpart, Joel Kachi Benson, champion known for his immersive documentaries. Benson recalls traveling to Ajangbadi to conscionable Anthony and his mother: “What struck maine was his determination. Despite the teasing and bullying, helium conscionable wanted to dance. I saw myself successful him, successful that tendency to propulsion done against the odds.”

The 2 filmmakers joined forces, convinced that Anthony’s travel was not conscionable astir ballet, but astir resilience, civilization and the powerfulness of dreams. Disney believed successful the pitch, and soon, Anthony’s communicative became a planetary documentary.

More Than Ballet

Madu is not conscionable astir a lad dancing his mode retired of poverty. It is simply a communicative of hope, courageousness and what it means to belong. It is besides astir breaking stereotypes. In Nigeria, ballet is seldom seen arsenic thing boys should do. Anthony wants to alteration that.

“I privation radical to cognize that men tin bash ballet,” helium said, inspired by Calvin Royal III, a Black dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. “You shouldn’t halt idiosyncratic from doing what they emotion conscionable due to the fact that you don’t deliberation it is right.”

The making of Madu was itself a trial of endurance. The filmmakers spent astir 3 years capturing Anthony’s travel – from the dusty streets of Ajangbadi to the polished studios of Birmingham, England.

“It wasn’t easy,” Benson admitted. “But we kept reminding ourselves: does this service the story? We owed it to Anthony and his family. We had earned their trust, and we couldn’t betray it.”
The effect was much than a film. It became a planetary connection astir talent, determination and the limitless possibilities that tin look from the astir improbable places.

From Rain-Soaked Streets to Emmy Glory

Today, Anthony Madu is not conscionable a ballet dancer. He is simply a awesome of what tin hap erstwhile passionateness meets opportunity. From Ajangbadi to England, from viral video to Emmy-winning documentary, his communicative is impervious that dreams tin sprout adjacent connected the roughest pavements.

As Anthony leaps higher into his future, helium carries with him the tone of millions of Nigerian children who, similar him, are waiting for idiosyncratic to spot them – waiting for their ain accidental to creation successful the rain.

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