Nigerian star of viral video stars in MADU, a Disney documentary filmed at Elmhurst Ballet School
MADU captures Anthony Madu’s story after being discovered through a viral 44-second video that was posted online in 2020 and garnered over 16 million views.
The full-length documentary film about Anthony Madu is released on Disney+ on Friday 29 March. It follows the Nigerian ballet student as he trains at Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, halfway across the world from his home in Lagos.
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Matt Ogens (Audible) and Kachi Benson (Daughters of Chibok) follow Nigerian ballet dancer Anthony Madu (now 14 years old) as he leaves his community on the outskirts of Lagos to pursue a ballet career.
Anthony Madu’s story was discovered through a 44-second video of him dancing barefoot in the rain that was posted online in 2020 and gained over 16 million views. Madu grew up in an isolated community outside of Lagos and with almost no formal training, he was awarded a scholarship to Elmhurst Ballet School, one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the UK.
The school reached out to him following the success of the short online video clip, and in May 2021 Madu lived at Elmhurst for three days to experience life as a full-time boarding student. He attended dance and academic classes and was observed in ballet classes by the artistic team. At the end of his three-day stay, Madu was offered a full-time place at the school and he joined on a full bursary scholarship in September 2021 and boards full-time.
Filming of MADU at Elmhurst began in September 2021 as he settled into boarding, dance training, and academic classes. Over the course of the year, filming covered all aspects of Anthony’s life at Elmhurst, but also his UK life away from the school – his downtime in Birmingham; weekends and holidays with guardians and friends; and travelling home to Nigeria during school holidays.
Robert Parker, Artistic Director of Elmhurst Ballet School, said, “I was eager to observe him dancing in person, following the popular footage of him in Nigeria, dancing in the rain. Upon introducing myself, he immediately conveyed his gratitude and rushed towards me, enveloping me in a heartfelt hug! As I watched him dance, it was immediately apparent that he possessed a great sense of presentation and artistic expression, which he used effectively to convey his passion for dance.”
The School’s Principal, Jessica Ward, added,“When I first saw Anthony dancing in the streets of Lagos via Instagram during lockdown, I felt strongly that this young person had true grit! Anthony’s love for dance and music is unmistakable; it’s practically woven into his essence. His innate love for dance is lovely to witness.
Having closely observed Anthony’s growth during his time at our school over the last two and a half years, I’ve witnessed his remarkable strides in both ballet and academics. Anthony’s presence brightens our school; his enthusiasm is palpable in both the dance studio and the classroom.
At Elmhurst, our hope is for every student to flourish during their time with us. Watching Anthony’s journey unfold has been immensely rewarding. I’m incredibly proud of how much he has grown and developed. I eagerly anticipate the world witnessing MADU and experiencing Anthony’s exceptional talent and journey.”
MADU is released on Disney+ on Friday 29 March
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
Beautiful, and really very moving. Bravo to all .