| Northern
Easter Holiday Course
Sunday
4th - Monday 5th April
For
the second year running I travelled North to attend the Northern
Easter Holiday Course held at Stevenson Dance School, Gomersal,
Leeds.
The
atmosphere was again very warm and friendly and the children
a delight. They arrived on Sunday morning, Children’s
Day, like a cloud of butterflies in their very colourful Greek
tunics, some a little apprehensive, but this soon disappeared,
others bouncing in to meet their friends, all looking forward
excitedly to the day ahead.
 |
| Summer
Awakening |
I
watched Diane Sugden taking the Junior Warm Up class, encouraging
the youngsters to make friends with one another and helping
them discover what fun you can have in a Greek Dance class.
The
classes had been arranged using the story of ‘Demeter
and Persephone’ throughout the day and covered Lyrical
and Athletic dance, Nature Rhythms and the Classical Greek
lines and designs. Susan Mitchell-Smith even had the Juniors
singing ‘Spring is here’ whilst they danced to
the words.
The
day proved a great success with a charming and imaginative
performance produced at the end of the day for parents and
teachers to watch.
 |
Summer
Awakening |
The
children also had an opportunity to show their skills in drawing
and writing with pictures and poems about the Four Seasons
which were later hung around the studio.
The
following poem which caught my eye was written by 9 year old
Louise Graham.
The
Summer Sea
Dancing in the summer breeze,
jumping on the shore,
Swivelling, curving, twisting, turning,
That’s what the sea is for,
The tide is coming in,
The time is almost right,
For the sea is turning black and rough,
At the strike of midnight tonight,
The sea spirits are awakening,
Looking at the seven seas shaking,
Quick the tide is coming in,
The sea is coming to win,
The spirits are getting cross,
They’ve lost the seas,
Where could they be?
As they weep for their loss,
The sun is here,
The night is gone,
The spirits are left to be,
So never stay at the strike of midnight,
Of the sunny summer sea.
 |
| Using
hands & faces |
There
was a strong teaching faculty over the two days: Kay Ball,
Cynthia Carr, Kim Cooper, Alison Cunningham, Maureen Jeffery,
Susan Mitchell-Smith, Diane Sugden and two young teachers,
Melanie French and Jenna Tamblin who taught a very creative
winter sequence to the junior students.
Monday
was Teachers and Students Day when the new Introductory Sequences
were taught by Kay Ball, with Cynthia Carr giving us a revision
of the new Grade six sequences.
We
were also introduced to the Advanced 2 Athletic Sequence,
choreographed by Cathy Carroll, and the Advanced 2 Pyrrhic
Sequence, choreographed by Alison Cumming. These arrangements
certainly challenge the technical abilities of the students
but those at the course seemed to enjoy this challenge and
they were voted a great success.
 |
| Roz
Jennings & Alison Cunningham with the more advanced
children. Photograph: Sonia Bond |
Kay
Ball took the Faculty’s Annual Meeting and held our
interest with her report of the past year’s activities
and the future events to look forward to.
The
day finished with Joan Darwall Scholarship, the class was
taken by Penny Childs and adjudicated by Kay Ball and Susan
Mitchell-Smith. The winner was Francesca Hitch (Cynthia Carr/Kathleen
West).
Congratulations
to Cathy Carroll, Alison Cunningham and Diane Sugden who organised
a most enjoyable two days, and to Roz Jennings who as always
inspired us all with her musical accompaniment.
Jennifer
Schena
Photographs: Jennifer Schena
unless stated otherwise
|
