Nelson Mandela University’s Ballroom & Latin Dance Society has given Nelson Mandela Bay another reason to celebrate after being crowned Overall Champions at the 2026 Intervarsity Ballroom & Latin Student Nationals for the second consecutive year.
The Gqeberha-based team returned from Cape Town with two of the competition’s three overall trophies, successfully defending the national title it won on home soil in 2025.
Even more impressive, Mandela University achieved the result with the smallest team at the competition, fielding just 30 dancers among the 134 competitors.
Mandela University brings two trophies back to the Bay
Hosted by the University of Cape Town at the Sea Point Civic Centre, the 2026 competition brought together dancers representing UCT, Stellenbosch University and Nelson Mandela University.
Mandela University claimed the prestigious Overall Trophy, retaining its championship title, as well as the Spirit Trophy in recognition of the team’s energy, camaraderie and gees throughout the event.
The university’s dancers competed across the Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Silver Trophy sections.
Their victory followed months of preparation, with the team training consistently since February before travelling through the night from Gqeberha to Cape Town to defend its title.
From Bachata to Argentine Tango
Competition began with the Open Dances, giving students an opportunity to perform across a wide variety of styles.
These included Boogie, Mambo, Bachata, Viennese Waltz, Sokkie, Paso Doble and Argentine Tango.
Mandela University dancers reached several finals and collected medals before moving into the main Ballroom and Latin sections, where the team continued to secure strong placings across the different competition levels.
The day concluded with the Team Dances, where selected dancers represented their respective universities across different styles.
By the end of the competition, Mandela University’s performances across the various categories had earned the team enough points to once again take the overall national title.
A small team with plenty of spirit
The Spirit Trophy added another dimension to the victory, recognising not only what the Mandela University dancers achieved on the floor, but the energy and support they brought to the competition.
For a 30-member team competing among 134 dancers, taking both the Overall and Spirit trophies made the back-to-back victory particularly significant.
The university congratulated coach Miranda Botha and the entire Ballroom & Latin Dance Society team for their determination, passion and team spirit.
The result means the national championship trophy will return to Nelson Mandela Bay for another year, with Mandela University now having claimed consecutive overall titles in 2025 and 2026.
This story is based on information originally published by Nelson Mandela University. Read the original report via Mandela University News.
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