2littledancers Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Ooh , we have Craig Bartley in a fortnight , then Chris hocking s ! Loving the male ajuducators at the moment . Just finishing with Nathan James next weekend ! Anyone had much experience of Mr Bartley or Mr Hockings !! Where have they been hiding ? Breath of fresh air !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Is that luton with Craig Bartley? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2littledancers Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 It certainly is !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Where are there as well! I think this is a hard festival, well it has been in prev years x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2littledancers Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I think they all are in the south , south/east ! Especially when you get to the London north semi s!! Does your dd do many solo s ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Yes she does 3 solos, ballet, tap, and modern, she loves everything about festivals, what does yours do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2littledancers Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Ballet , modern , s and d , tap , Greek , character a couple of duets , trio and endless groups !! Although only doing a few groups at Luton . She adores festivals although my bank balance doesn't !!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 How does she remember all those dances! Ha, it's a nice festival though, and well run, but yes tough! Xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2littledancers Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 It is so friendly , unlike some others , the people are lovely , so welcoming to the children . Did I see you mentioned your daughter is in the 8 year old section ? Mines in the 9 s . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Yes she is in 7-8, she got the cup last year for highest mark overall for ballet junior section, she she really does not want to give back ha x so are you in 9-10? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Ah no, they have split it up haven't they, into just ages this time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2littledancers Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Yes 9 years . That reminds me , have got one of those that needs engraving !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 I know I only just got ours done, only took nearly a year! Ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BankruptMum Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 We have just had Karen Blackburn ( was meant to be Geoff Lucas but the organisers got the dates wrong!). Karen was really helpful and constructive, :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletmum20 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Never had Karen before, there seems to be some nice new adjudicators, which is nice to see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingDays Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 I think its def a case of an all round secure performance wins the day , with solid technique, a sense of performance and a great deal of confidence. But also the same as anything with all performers , if your face doesn't fit , it doesn't fit . I think many adjudicators latch on to a child and they then get placed in all sections , but as everyone has said , it comes down to personnel choice. It has been nice to see some younger (especially male ) blood on the adjudicating panel recently , as many of the older ladies were looking rather tired , especially the ones that have been around since i was dancing !!!!!! My daughter has always been very fortunate at festivals placing 9 times out of 10 but always agrees this is a bonus , she enjoys the festival circuit immensely making copious amounts of new friends from different dance schools . which will be (like i made ) friends for life !! Festival mums/kids are not all MAD DANCE MUMS !!! I just resurrected this thread because I thought I remembered reading the comment above about the face not fitting which is something that really has come to bear for the first time with us... My DD is definitely a victim of "her face doesn't fit" at a Festival we're at just now....and we've never come across it before so it kind of stings a little bit....I'm not saying that DD wins and places for every section at every Festival she does but she always has some success at least. Last All England, DD qualified her Ballet, Modern, S&D, Character, National and Cab Duet through to Regional Finals and then took her National to Finals where she got called out in 4th with Honours. Just last month she came 1st for her Character and National and 2nd for her Ballet at our region's first qualifying festival for this All England Comp and was awarded the Festival Classical Award for her age group. But last weekend and this weekend...we're completely flummoxed by having absolutely no hint of any praise in anything.....even to the point where the mothers of the children who are winning are coming and telling us that DD should have won or at least been placed. Now, I'm a very level headed Mum when it comes to Festivals and DD has always been gracious in defeat as well as victory, enjoying the taking part whatever the outcome, but today even she said "Mum, I could have cried when I came off stage today".... the worst part is she still wants to go back for more tonight in a Modern Section of over 30! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeafterballet? Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 I just resurrected this thread because I thought I remembered reading the comment above about the face not fitting which is something that really has come to bear for the first time with us... My DD is definitely a victim of "her face doesn't fit" at a Festival we're at just now....and we've never come across it before so it kind of stings a little bit.... Oh bless. The only thing I can say is it may not even be "her" - I have seen adjudicators who appear to take an instant dislike to a style of choreography and no matter how well it is danced the style is overlooked. We have experienced it for "more traditional" choreography - where the adjudicator has commented the entire section needs brininging up to date .... But there is nothing the dancers can do about what they are given Hope she has enjoyed the modern section and you have enjoyed watching 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billyelliott Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 That's very tough to hear .....I sympathise as a mum whose DC is used to winning .....I am sure however that many including her family and friends derived great pleasure from the opportunity of watching her dance . That's an opportunity I have come to appreciate much more now he is far away ???? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Don't quite know where to post this. Does anybody know of any festivals in or near to Wales that has a classical ballet section. I really want to start doing them but can't seem to find one:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newdancer Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Last month I met Craig at the Shepshed festival when I danced in the junior international ballet championship which was a qualifying heat, the winner of which dances at the miss dance of great Britain finals in blackpool next month. He was very nice and stayed focussed for all 26 dancers. However, we did have to wait a very long time for him to make his decision,a good 5 minutes at least! competition was tough and it is always difficult to know how they pick dancers. Some like lots of content, others like to make sure that the basic are secured first. its important never to run off the stage if you forget your routine, remember the judge doesn't know your dance. Just try your best and don't worry if you don't always get place, enjoy your time on the stage, read your reports and try to improve on the comments they make Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzysue Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Dtadmin I am wondering if you're at the same festival (and section) as we are. I think the adjudicator has very set ideas of what she wants. Dd has had no luck either but her reports have been fair and her marks reasonable. We have opted for an early night instead of the modern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingDays Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 That's very tough to hear .....I sympathise as a mum whose DC is used to winning .....I am sure however that many including her family and friends derived great pleasure from the opportunity of watching her dance . That's an opportunity I have come to appreciate much more now he is far away I am bracing myself for the same Billyelliott once DD starts Tring in September....she's always had such a good experience at this festival before so it's a real shame for her....we've got one more festival in June then that's it. I'm hoping Tring will let her take part in Regionals next May as she's qualified 3 dances already so fingers crossed xx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingDays Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Dtadmin I am wondering if you're at the same festival (and section) as we are. I think the adjudicator has very set ideas of what she wants. Dd has had no luck either but her reports have been fair and her marks reasonable. We have opted for an early night instead of the modern. You did a very wise thing in staying home tonight....the section started an hour late at 8.30 and we left at 9.45!!! There was still 2 sections to go after us....I don't think they'll finish until around 11 which is far too late for 13 and 14 years olds No luck again tonight for DD and this was the full version of the dance she used for her auditions at Tring and Hammond - it's a great routine with lots of technical difficulty but still not enough to resonate apparently. I would say though that I would have placed 2 of the 3 placings tonight and there was some strong work shown. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cara in NZ Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Hi, so I'm not sure if UK festivals and NZ competitions are directly comparable, but DD has started competing a classical solo this year and next her teacher says she will learn 'a barefoot'. This won't be for a few months until the exam and Christmas show are over but she is excited about it. But I have no idea whether it is 'barefoot ballet', or 'contemporary' or 'lyrical' or 'modern' or even 'demi-character'. And does it have to be strictly in bare feet or can she wear 'foot undies' to help her with turning? And I don't know what S&D is that you refer to in the thread. Can anyone help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dance*is*life Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I presume that S&D is song and dance - one of my favourite sections, when I was competing more than 50 years ago! Bare foot in my day was what they called natural movement or Greek dance. Of course today it may well mean something else, but I saw in the Dancing Times that they still hold the Ruby Ginner Cup for Greek dancing, which I won in 1962, or thereabouts! Good luck in the comps! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flit and float Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 We don't have a "barefoot" category here - any modern, Greek, character, national (well some countries!), song & dance could technically be barefoot! I think for modern etc foot thongs etc are fine, not sure if they'd be frowned upon as not strictly authentic in national for instance! (But I'm guessing it won't be that for you) Maybe in NZ barefoot means a contemporary/lyrical or similar? Try searching on YouTube, there are some festival routines & it's interesting to see the variations between UK, USA, Australia & NZ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BankruptMum Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Anaballerina - this may help you http://www.federationoffestivals.org.uk/festivals-a-z/ I would think Bristol http://www.bristoldance.co.uk/?page_id=6 should be do-able, Worcester Festival may be in reach and is a lovely one to do. They both also run Championships. dtadmin - big hugs and well done for getting through it all. Thats a festival to put down to life skills rather than results. It happens (more often than us poor parents would like) but as had been said sometimes a dislike of music, style, stage presence, or choreography can be enough to put an adjudicator 'off' of a dance. It can also just be a preference of somebody else rather there being something wrong with another performance. It really isnt worth taking to heart. Just take a look at the marks if they are inline with normal then panic not, unpack and get ready for the next Nice to hear everyone enjoying their festivals - my DD couldnt live without them - been doing it since she was 3 and is now 16! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CouldDoBetter Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 BankruptMum - you deserve a medal for supporting her that long! My DD is 17 and about to do her first festival for many years. she did not start until she was 6 or 7 and stopped at 11 or 12, she was never very successful. I do not think that she will do solos again, but she has decided to do a couple of group dances. I have not forgotten how stressful the experience was - I hope she is more relaxed than she used to be! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingDays Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Hi Bankrupt Mum, you're so right....it was definitely one to put down to experience. The very last day of that particular festival DD only had one section and I didn't want to waste time & money going over there given the 2 previous weekends we'd had but all credit to DD, she said she still wanted to go....and she got placed 2nd with a qualification so I guess the adjudicator finally saw something she liked The Festival in June was back to normal with all her Classical solos placed 1st, 2nd & 3rd with qualifying marks plus the Junior National Trophy which was brilliant for her last Festival before Tring. The good news too is that she's been given permission from the Head at Tring to see this Festival cycle through and go to Regionals so she's got 4 solos to take on and compete with next May. Only problem is she hasn't got time to practice much... It's weird now seeing the rest of the All England squad at DD's local dance school still out there at the qualifying festivals that DD isn't part of - we do miss them...but DD is absolutely loving Tring and wouldn't change it for the world 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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