A trio of South African tap dancers has delivered a historic performance at the IDO World Tap Dance Championships in Prague, Czechia. Competing from October 25-30, 2025, the team of ten dancers, sent by the South African Body of Dance (SABOD) and the Federation of Dance Sport South Africa, achieved unprecedented success on the global stage....Click to Read More >>➤
The championships featured more than 1,700 dancers from 21 countries. From this intense competition, South Africa emerged with multiple podium finishes for the first time ever.
Historic Podium Finishes for South Africa
Siblings Madeline and Luke Scrase, alongside Madison Versfeld, were the standout performers. Madeline Scrase secured a bronze medal in the highly competitive Adult Female Solo category, earning her the title of Second Vice World Champion.
In the Adult Male Solo category, South Africa dominated. Madison Versfeld captured the silver medal, while Luke Scrase took home the bronze. This marked a monumental achievement as the first time two South African tap dancers have reached the solo finals and stood on the podium together.
The success continued into the duo category. Madeline and Luke Scrase combined their talents to place sixth in the Adult Duo finals, competing against 37 other pairs. Their performance marked the first time in 14 years that a South African duo has advanced to the finals at this prestigious event.
Madison Versfeld Caps Victory with Battle of the Feet Win
Adding a final exclamation point to South Africa’s campaign, Madison Versfeld won the Battle of the Feet. This popular event is a freestyle showdown where dancers improvise live to music selected by the judges. Versfeld’s victory is another historic first, as no South African dancer had ever won this competition before.
In total, four South African performances earned a place in the championship finals:
– Madeline & Luke Scrase – 6th in Adult Duets
– Madeline Scrase – 3rd in Adult Female Solos
– Luke Scrase – 3rd in Adult Male Solos
– Madison Versfeld – 2nd in Adult Male Solos
The trio’s success at the World Tap Dance Championships is a testament to their shared history and dedication. All three dancers grew up on Gauteng’s East Rand, with Madeline and Luke from Benoni and Madison from Kempton Park. They began their training together at Steps School of Dance and later refined their skills with Dance2Express.
Today, Madeline Scrase works as a qualified dance teacher and choreographer. Madison Versfeld dances with Red Robynne Studios in Bedfordview, a studio run by his sister, former world champion Robynne Esterhuyzen. Their collective achievements have firmly put South African tap dance on the global map, signaling a bright future for the art form in the nation. ...Click to Read More >>➤
