| DFR
Congress 2004
Sunday
19th September 2004
The
Civic Centre, Aylesbury
DFR
Faculty Congress for me is like the beginning of term, it
is the first meeting of colleagues and friends since the summer
and autumn is distinctly in the air.
Maria Howse was chosen to give the ‘Warm Up and Cool
Down’ to the day which she did in a methodical and confident
manner.
 |
‘Warm
Up & Cool Down’, Maria Howse |
Following
on to this Warm Up the first lecturer, Janet Clark assisted
by Fay Morgan and Natasha Khorsandyon took her class through
an advanced stretch workout. Having given the requisite health
warnings for this type of work Janet explained and demonstrated
PNF and PNF CRAC techniques. Using partners the class were
able to experience the type of stretch necessary for all advanced
dancers to achieve their optimum. As always, Janet’s
lecture was thoroughly prepared with impeccable attention
to detail.
Nicky
Bentley was Guest Lecturer this year - a popular choice as
she is well known both for her long teaching career at Pineapple
and for her involvement with many performers in the UK and
Europe. The style of choreography chosen will have been very
recognisable from music videos of the past couple of years
but was none the less popular because of that. Her teaching
skills were evident by the success with which the large class
mastered the routine.
Three
mini lectures followed: Liz Young with her inimitable humour
gave us a Junior Bronze routine. Heather Simmons capably delivered
a challenging Juvenile Silver which she cleverly adapted to
Pairs work. Suzie Graham opted for simplicity with the Junior
Gold teaching a very useful routine for those with large classes.
Before
lunch floral presentations were made by the Faculty Committee
to Peggy Spencer MBE and Anne Lingard for their pioneering
spirit and determination as along with Sydney Francis they
steered the Disco Freestyle as joint Chairmen in its early
days.
 |
Bouquets
presented to past Chairman, Anne Lingard & Peggy Spencer
MBE |
This
being the Centenary year of the ISTD the Committee had provided
wine for us all to toast the Society and its members, and
the obligatory photographs were taken so that in a further
fifty or hundred years those present would be recorded for
posterity.
Delegates
at this year’s congress were very well looked after
as not only was there wine to be drunk but there were not
one, but two bags of goodies and freebies generously supplied
by International Dance Supplies, Janet Castielli Forever Living
Products and the Faculty Committee.
'Mastering
Slow Work', was the title of the first lecture of the afternoon
by Betty Bouston. Despite losing her voice that morning, every
lecturer’s nightmare, Betty’s obvious experience
and the able assistance of Victoria Hawkes carried the day
so that Betty’s belief that Slow Work, like a house,
should be built on solid foundations was communicated to the
audience. With this in mind Beginners were not forgotten and
simple groups for introducing slow work were shown by Amy,
age 7 and Gemma and Laura, age 12.
 |
| ‘Slow
Work’, Betty Bouston |
Emma
Johnson assisted by Yvonne Hall gave her first lecture at
DFR Faculty Congress. Her Gold Star Rock ‘n’ Roll
variations gave weeks and weeks of work for the teachers crammed
into a half hour. Emma’s experience with large classes
was evident throughout.
 |
‘Advanced
Rock ‘n’ Roll Variation’, Emma Johnson
assisted by Yvonne Hall |
Robert
Pountney was back by popular demand after last year’s
appearance and
entranced the audience with
his demonstrations and explanations of 'Boogaloo' and 'Popping'.
Quietly self-assured and controlled in all senses of the word,
here was a young dancer who obviously lived for and breathed
dance but had spent many hours dissecting and codifying this
form of freestyle without losing its essence. No mean feat!
His disarming simplicity in his sense of presentation and
sheer dedication to a style often dismissed as impossible
to teach, produced a genuine response from the teachers present
that I am sure will result in another appearance in the future.
As one examiner said to me, 'If you want boys in your class
this is what (and how) you should be teaching.'
 |
‘Hip
Hop’, Robert Poutney |
Yvonne
Taylor-Hill, DFR Faculty Chairman took us through some of
the new Grades1-3 with emphasis on placing and use of feet
saying ‘the floor should be our friend’. Katie
Mackenzie demonstrated the Set Work with control and precision.
There will be further opportunity to go through this work
in detail at the Teacher Training Day at ISTD HQ on 16th January
2005.
'In
The Beginning', was the subject tackled by Amanda Hughes.
Emphasising the short concentration span of very young pupils
she showed us how she introduced variety and interest in her
teaching. The use of highly coloured visual aids such as a
parachute was
very popular with the pupils shehad
brought along. Amanda continued with a charming presentation
of an Under 6 Street routine and a very popular 70’s
style Under 8 routine complete with sunglasses!
 |
| ‘Tiny
Tots’, Amanda Hughes |
Unfortunately,
due to illness Christine Ballard was unable to give her Masterclass.
In her place we were delighted to welcome Tony Parry. Stressing
the theme of basic fundamentals we were treated to an outstanding
workshop style lecture that highlighted the fact that exercises
designed to develop strength and understanding of centre,
posture and placement need not be boring. In fact the opposite,
full of interest, oozing dance quality, this was inspirational
and refreshing.
 |
| ‘Basic
Fundamentals’, Guest Lecturer, Tony Parry |
'Advanced
Freestyle', by Paul Bartlett was aptly named energetic, enthusiastic
teaching providing a gruelling last class of the day where
no prisoners were taken!
Vernon
Kemp
Photographs: Ron Self
|
