Ivy Meyer

DIRECTOR

LAKESIDE

What does your company do?

Ivy Meyer a dynamic and strong woman who has dedicated her life for the past 23years to youth across the Cape Peninsula, Johannesburg and Mosselbay. This Remarkable woman with her dynamic approach has the ability to turn any challenge into reality. Her passion and determination have taken her to greater heights with the youth. Her Motto “ Dreams into reality” is one thing she strongly believes in and has taken youth off the street and has turned their dreams into reality. Help keeping our youth off the street away from crime, drugs and violence has made her a true role model and ambassador amongst thousands in South Africa. Ivy Meyer is a dedicated, determined and passionate woman who believes in assisting our youth find their passion in life. She is a qualified dance teacher in so many genres of dancing and coming from the previously disadvantaged community she realized that youth involvement in crime is a major crisis in South Africa. This amazing woman is a medical rep during the day and teaches dancing to our youth at night. She strongly believes taking these kids away from their normal environment for at least 2 hours will not only help them stay off the street but also expand the horizons for our disadvantaged youth by creating a platform as a job creation option, as an alternative to a life of crime drugs and violence. Dancing is the one thing that helps keep our youth off the street. At the Academy the youth are educated to become leaders, motivational speakers and professional dancers. She strongly believes the youth must be shown how to become true role models and leaders within there own communities. Instill into them a sense of pride purpose and self worth will fundamentally change their life styles. Youth involvement in crime continues to be a challenge in the Western Cape. On Average there are 2223 youth arrests per month. The plight of the youth is exacerbated by substance abuse, poverty, joblessness, unhealthy lifestyles, crime, a low sense of self-worth and a lack of recreational activities. The youth constitute 46% of the unemployed in the province: while only three out of all Black job applicants are successful in finding employment. There is a 48% dropout rate in Grades 10 – 12, while those who have matriculated are exposed to the harsh reality of limited job opportunities. Due to the high crime rate and job losses has she taken a step further and promotes the youth at her dance Academy to casting agencies and corporate companies. This in return brings in finances that assist the youth with not only dancing career but also their education and most importantly assist their parents with buying food in the house. She has been successful and most of the youth who have become qualified dance teachers has since opened their own dance schools or professional dancers. Some have left and gone overseas and have continued their dancing career. Ivy Meyer has the ability to take her passion and passes this to our youth. She makes dancing so interesting that you cannot help falling in love with it. She believes nothing is impossible if you would like to be successful in life. She gives all youth within the academy equal opportunities, and we realized you either go with the flow or you will definitely stay behind. And most of us refuse to be left outside the excitement and interesting things happening within the academy. She keeps the youth occupied with all kinds of fun stuff that we have no time to step out of line. Currently we have 2 students within the Academy that has the opportunity to become dance teachers of which one is only 10 years old. She motivates us and educates us how to become dance teachers. She is an amazing dance teacher and leader. Nothing is ever too difficult for her she always says everything is a challenge. She has made us realize that no matter how tough the competition we can face the challenge. And truly we always come out tops. We have asked her several times how she do it, but she just laughs and says teaching for so long I should at least by now have learnt my lesson. She assists us with choreography. She works with us until we understand how to do the work. She has gone the extra mile for the students by using those who have matriculated to assist the dancers that are struggling at school. She makes sure that everyone that comes to class has eaten or she will go out of her way to organize food making sure everyone is happy. She goes the extra mile for all students including parents and has become a true ROLE MODEL, social worker, psychologist, mother, and father. She spends hours with us giving us opportunities. She is one woman that has integrity and believes we need to work towards a goal and see the end result. The fund raisers – the monies that we collect is for that project only and nothing else. This has shown us that we should not change our minds and use the money for something else. She is an amazing teacher. Ivy Meyer always strives to be the best she can and that has filtered down to us, as we want to be the best we can. We have learnt our lessons the hard way. If we step out of line she demands we apologize and ask us not to repeat the same mistake. Most times we are upset with her but then we realize she is not there to side with us if we wrong we should not misbehave or step out of line we must have respect as she respects us. And we need to believe in ourselves before we face the challenges of this world. As young teenagers life can be tough. As most of us live in areas where drugs is easily obtainable. But Ivy Meyer says if you believe in yourself and you would like to show the world your achievements you need to become a Role Model, someone your friends can look up to. I can truly say that is exactly what’s happening at the moment as most of my friends have realized they can also make a difference within the community and not get involved with drugs. Everyone at the academy including the moms and dads admire Ivy Meyer for her passion and drive to create opportunities and to go the extra mile to make sure we, as performers are successful. When we have a break at dancing – I overhear the dancers say they would like to be like Ivy Meyer one day. Her drive to be successful and her unselfish manner are remarkable. She will assist any person that comes and ask for advice. I have never seen her send anyone away or say she don’t have time for them. Help keeping youth off the street away from crime, drugs and violence have become our number one priority. Dancing is the one thing that keeps them busy even if it is only for a few hours.