High Standards at Festival 2009
Carol Vasko reports on this year’s successful and exciting Classical Greek Dance Festival Competition held on 2nd May 2009 in London
?The Classical Greek Dance Association holds a ‘Festival’ competition every two years. The first Festival took place in 1948 and was very much a celebration of Classical Greek Dance. Some 60 years later, the event now has a more competitive nature – but is still very much a celebration of the wonderful dance form that is Classical Greek.
Above: Victoria Reeves, Lucy Atkinson and Georgette Fletcher – Blondel Earl Centre. 1st Place Trio/Quartet 10 and Under 'Autumn Revels'
The Festival welcomes any entrant, providing the dancers are performing using the Classical Greek Dance (Ruby Ginner Method) technique. The Finalists are selected from dancers who compete in four regional heats. This year, the heats took place in Kettering, Fareham, Birmingham and East Grinstead.
Senior Classical Greek examiners, who are usually also committee members, adjudicate the heats to ensure that a high standard of technique, performance and quality is guaranteed. Obviously, the majority do not make it to the Finals competition.
However, we are always impressed by the amount of hard work and commitment shown by each of the dancers, and as such congratulate every dancer, teacher and parent who provided the motivation, encouragement and finance necessary to take part.
In every competition there must be winners and losers. We hope that those who did not make the Finals enjoyed the experience of taking part. Those that did make it had the fantastic opportunity to dance on one of London’s wonderful stages. This was the third time we have held our Finals competition at the Mermaid Theatre and Conference Centre and we were delighted to be using this fantastic facility again.
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Above Left: Sophie Dipper, Kathleen Brenner and Stephanie Day (Sue
Merret School) 'Storm' 1st Place Trio/Quartet 11 – 14yrs
Above: Savannah French, Olivia Walklett and Maria Telnikoff (Dupont School) 3rd Place Trio/Quartet 10yrs and Under – 'Butterflies'
Left: Amy Lawrence – Winner, Solo Section 10yrs and Under 'A Ray of Sunshine' |
The adjudicators for the day were Miss Paddy Hurlings and Mrs Susan Mitchell-Smith. Both ladies have a wealth of experience on which to draw. Paddy is used to adjudicating due to her position as a British Federation and All England Dance adjudicator, alongside the experience and perspective her roles within the ISTD have brought. Susan is a long-serving, dedicated and passionate member of the Classical Greek Faculty – for many years serving as Chairman and currently an examiner from Primary through to Fellowship – and so well equipped to tease apart the finer details of the technique. I say it every year, but I really do not envy the job of the adjudicators! Such is the diversity and range of Classical Greek Dance that sometimes arriving at a decision as to ‘which is best’ is impossible. Thankfully, however, choices were made, and some very instructive and pertinent comments given. Our sincere thanks to both ladies for giving the dancers every encouragement!
What struck me most about the day was the atmosphere. My job as organiser (as well as most of the team) meant I spent all of the day backstage, either in the wings, collecting music, calling dancers – doing whatever needed doing. Every single dancer, teacher and chaperone that I came across could not have been more co-operative, supportive and accommodating; thank you all for being so fantastic! Doubly so for those performing – all should be commended for their sportsmanship and sense of community!
Finally – the acknowledgments. Sincere thanks to all the Mermaid Staff who are a fantastic team and worth every penny, always giving service with a smile. Thank you also to Alison Seddon for helping with sound and Amanda Wilkins for side stage help. A special mention to those who turn up every year to do the tedious but essential jobs with patience and good grace (and who never get to see any of the performance!) namely: Kay Ball, Pippa and Glen Garner, Stuart Lorraine, Yasmin Taylor and Francis Vasko.
Carol Vasko
Results
Section Winner
Duets 10 and Under
Samantha Clay & Jennifer Brenner
(Sue Merret School)
Duets 11 – 14yrs
Shaunagh Stones & Namika Patel
(Dupont School)
Boys Solo 11 – 14yrs
Jak Skelly
(Dupont)
Boys Solo 15 – 18yrs
Matthew Petty
(Dupont)
Solos 15 – 18yrs
Brooke Manning
(Emjay School)
Trio/Quartets 11 – 14yrs
Sophie Dipper, Kathleen Brenner and Stephanie Day
(Sue Merrett)
Trio/Quartet 10yrs and Under
Victoria Reeves, Lucy Atkinson and
Georgette Fletcher
(Blondel Earl Centre)
Groups 16 – 21 yrs
Destruction of Planet Earth
(Kilburn School)
Groups 11yrs and Under
Alms in Autumn
(Mayhew School)
Duets 15 – 18yrs
Alexandra Sarrafan and Chelsea Hogg (Dupont)
Solo 10yrs & Under
Amy Lawrence
Groups 12 – 15yrs
The Thread of Life
(Blondel Earl)
Trio/Quartet 15 – 18yrs
Alexandra Sarrafan, Chelsea Hogg and Danielle Corsane
(Dupont)
Solo 11 – 14yrs
Teresina Stefani
(Blondel Earl)
Group Choreography
Northern Lights
(Buckhurst Hill and Woodford School)
Special Awards
Doris McBride Trophy
‘Autumn Revels’
(Blondel Earl School)
Freda Crockett Costume award
‘Alms in Autumn’
(MayhewSchool)
Nancy Sherwood Trophy
‘Storm’
(Sue Merrett School)
Irene Mawer Trophy
‘In Remembrance’
(Kilburn)
Rosina Wenham Shield
‘Kaleidoscope’
(Redhurst School) |
