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She takes to the field bursting with confidence, ready to entertain the throngs of spectators who have come to watch the Stormers play on their home ground, DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
Despite her small stature, six-year-old Ella Jacobs dances with the might of a seasoned acrobat, her yellow dress a blur as she spins, tumbles and leaps through the air.
Ella, the youngest member of the DHL Dancers, believes she's a pivotal part of her beloved rugby team's success, and who's to argue?
"The crowds really encourage her, with many loud 'ah's' echoing through the stadium. If she's not there, they scream, 'Where is the baby?'," says Ella's mom, Jenny, who is also the manager and chief choreographer of the DHL dance team.
Ella performed for the first time with the pom-pom girls at a rugby match in December last year, and since then she has been a regular part of the team.
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Her mom says she was quite nervous that Ella's timing might be out of sync with the rest of the team or that she might get some of the movements wrong, yet from her very first performance, Ella had been nothing short of flawless, captivating the audience with her adorable dance moves.
"It was very exciting for me as a mom. She practises with the team, and we also practise at home when we have time. It's sometimes hard to be a pom-pom girl because if you make a mistake in front of the crowd, you can't redo it, you only have one chance to get it right."
Jenny describes Ella as a fiery little livewire who is very hardworking and focused. Ella's favourite music to dance to is that of Michael Jackson, but she also likes Los Del Río's Macarena and Psy's Gangnam Style.
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Naturally, the dances are Ella's favourite part of being a pom-pom girl. But getting her very own mini-outfit and looking just like the other dancers is a delightful bonus.
"She also now has many fans and people who want to take photos with her. And she thinks she is the Stormers' own lucky charm – she believes they only win when she dances," Jenny says with a laugh.
