Matt. Dancing Madly. Here.

Most people dread Mondays. To me, it’s really no big deal. Mondays are like any other day as long as I get to do what I love and that is flying. Today, however, is different as great excitement looms in my airspace. I am about to meet Matt and see him in action. I am by no means a fan club junkie. In fact the closest that I’ve ever come to being one,was at the Watershed concert in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens a couple of years ago. Sitting in the front row I was mesmerized by the music and…Craig Hinds’ blue eyes.

Back to Matt. It was just yesterday that I heard about Matt’s arrival in Cape Town. So who the hell is Matt? I hear you ask. Matt Harding! The deadbeat guy who has the greatest fun dancing all over the world! Before you think I’m throwing insults at the poor guy, read more about Matt and his adventures on his website. After reading his blog, you’ll agree that Matt genius and should be crowned as entrepreneur of the century.

Matt is in South Africa to perform the diski at various places in South Africa as part of South African Tourism’s initiative to promote the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the United States. The new clip will show the talented Matt doing the diski at Cape Point, Cape Town International Airport, on the Robben Island Ferry, Soweto, Mpumalanga (dancing with a lion or two) and various other places in our diverse country.

It’s my day off, but  I don my uniform anyway, dressed to impress as I venture onto Cape Town International Airport’s tarmac. I organise photographer – my friend and colleague Jo. Call the office to obtain the flight details. It’s confirmed – Matt and Melissa will be arriving on time.

Unfortunately Jo and I arrive late. Matt and the team are already set up in front of the super sleek South African Airways Airbus 340. He is going through the steps of the diski – the official 2010 FIFA World Cup dance. Melissa seems to have everything under control. She is the cinematographer, choreographer and project manager all rolled into one. Jo clicks away as she tries to capture all Matt’s moves but is momentarily distracted by the rare scene of a Buccaneer from Thunder city taxiing in from a flight. I don’t blame her. Any pilot would take a moment to admire that awesome machine.

Oops! Back to Matt: I bow my head in shame as I witness how Matt, right in Cape Town with the South African flag on the tail of the Airbus performs the diski. Me, a South African, I don’t have the hang of the diski yet. I watch Matt carefully and get into the beat. He practices the dance a few times before the final take and executes flawlessly. Now I know how to diski.

Come on! Do yourself a favour, get into the rhythm and learn to diski.

A special thanks to Goliath (ACSA Safety), Florence (SAA) and David DiGregorio, Manager of Marketing & Communications (USA) of South African Tourism and of cause Matt and Melissa for letting me hang around.

Photographs by Jocindy Mars.