Performing on stage alongside some of the world’s renowned singers is a mere dream for some, but the dream became a reality for 31-year-old Paarlite Charlie van Rooyen.
The dancer, and former learner at New Orleans Senior Secondary (NOSS), recently performed on stage with international singer John Legend.
He said it was the second time he was chosen as one of Legend’s dancers. Earlier this year he also performed on stage with international singer Seal.
“I started taking dance as a subject at NOSS, thinking it was going to be easy, but it was actually not that easy,” Van Rooyen related. “I had to learn about every muscle and every bone in my body, especially which muscle connects to which body part, music, the history of dance, diets and more.”
He said as a child he would watch his niece, the first person in his family to do ballet, perform and he too wanted to give it a try.
“The Jazzart Dance Theatre in Cape Town used to come to our school to perform. That is how I learnt that dancing can actually take me places.”
While still in school Van Rooyen started attending weekend dance classes in Cape Town, and in Grade 12 auditioned for Jazzart’s three-year training programme and got a full scholarship.
After matric he studied full time at Jazzart, and part of his scholarship was to also study part-time at Unisa.
“I studied ABET. I have also done my business degree and I am a qualified personal trainer.”
As one of the leading versatile male dancers in Africa, and because he mostly worked in big productions locally and internationally, Van Rooyen was chosen to dance with John Legend for a second time.
“Bidvest, which hired John Legend, is one of the companies I have done work for, for years. So it was just another show for me. I also choreographed three other items for the show.”
He describes Legend as a “a very cool, humble guy. A very kind person with a voice of gold.”
For the performance they had six weeks of rehearsals, for it was a full production with a 36-piece orchestra.
“Most of my training was done by 2010,” Van Rooyen said. “When one dances professionally the only training left for one is learning on the job. Luckily I am a personal trainer as well, so I keep myself fit in the gym. But one can be dance-fit only by actually dancing.”
He also performs on TV shows, in corporate shows and in his own shows.
“I am currently about to start producing my first TV show, which I wrote and will co-produce. I am also working on various other projects in theatre and for corporate.”
Van Rooyen describes himself as a versatile dancer who can do almost every style, from contemporary, ballet, tap, hip-hop, kwaito, pantsula, Latin, ballroom, Indian dance and various African styles, just to mention a few.
“I have worked all over the world with various companies, artists, musicians and producers.”
Van Rooyen was also runner-up on So You Think You Can Dance, Season 3, did choreography for Strictly Come Dancing and performed on various seasons of Idols SA.
“I have also performed with other international artists, such as Toni Braxton, French Montana, Trey Songz, Brandy, Omarion, Angélique Kidjo, Davido, D’banj, Tiwa Savage and many local artists.”
Asked about challenges he has faced so far as a dancer, he said: “My challenge was having to leave home every weekend, at the time I was at school, to take a train to Cape Town to train at Jazzart.
“It was also very difficult to get into the industry, but I was very blessed always to be in the right place at the right time, and to meet the right people.
“Of course, I worked my butt off, but always made a promise to myself that I would not go back to living the life I had before, and I think it is that which motivated me to work hard every day.”
According to Van Rooyen, being on stage is his safe space, where he can be whomever he wants to be.
“I’m a very shy person, so on stage I don’t have to be that guy,” he says. “Dance has always been that one place I can go to whenever I was going through a rough patch, and that includes depression. I can have a horrible day or deal with personal issues, but the moment I step into a dance rehearsal it will all be forgotten (at least momentarily).”
