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22 August 2020

Watch 11-year-old ballet dancer from Nigeria’s viral video that landed him a scholarship in New York

Meet the 11-year-old ballet dancer from Nigeria whose viral video landed him a scholarship at the American Ballet Theater in New York City.

The video of Anthony Mmesoma Madu dancing in the rain in Lagos, Nigeria, spread across the internet as social media users praised the youngster for breaking negative stereotypes around male dancers.

After Anthony's dance moves were seen by the American Ballet Theatre in New York, the theatre offered him a scholarship from Ballet Beyond Borders and arranged internet access for the 11-year-old to experience virtual training sessions this summer.

“When my friends see me dancing, they feel like, ‘what is this boy doing, is he doing a foreign dance?’ ” he said.

“Now I have won a grand prize to go to the US... I will be in the plane and this is what I am waiting for, and ballet has done it for me.”

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