Festivals

[Belleballerina]

I know not everyone likes festivals for one reason or another but just wanted to post a huge well done do all our groups, trio's duets and solos at Welwyn over the

last few weekends. So many medals and an amazing adjudicator - Jill Baldock - so lovely and so inspiring to every individual dancer on the stage !

[Jazzpaws]

Well done !!

DD did festivals for a while until CAT scheme and Associates started.She had some lovely times, especially in the groups. However, just one mother started being competitive and sniping about everything which took the edge off the lovely supportive atmosphere that we had. They are only children after all and the most important thing is that they enjoy the experience, without pressure. Unfortunately, I think the festival scene can be a breeding ground for pushy mums who need to be muzzled !!!

[Belleballerina]

I agree defo - luckily our circuit is mostly very friendly but it is also very competitive. My dd is 14 now so just gets on with it and I stay out of the way - but she enjoys it so much she gets on with it. Luckily for us a lovely experience especially group wise and we are hoping for some through to semi/fianls x

[akh]

Agree Jill is lovely

[JulieW]

We had Jill a couple of times when my lot were doing festivals - lovely adjudicator. 

[Lilac]

Had a strange experience at Woking festival last week. Took DD to try and qualify her Lyrical dance. Came up against mostly the normal girls with sad songs and dramatic dance. Afterwards the adjudicator declared that virtually none of the dances were lyrical, and went on to say that she was trying to save Lyrical and defined at length what it should and shouldn't be! She then awards high marks for first and second, and then begrudgingly puts the girl who usually wins 3rd! Worked well for DD as her teacher obviously knows the rules and she qualified in second. There were a lot of shocked murmurings in the room as normally the other dances are the successful ones.

[Miracle]

Pleased to hear your post Lilac. Congratulations to your DD. X

[seymour]

Had a strange experience at Woking festival last week. Took DD to try and qualify her Lyrical dance. Came up against mostly the normal girls with sad songs and dramatic dance. Afterwards the adjudicator declared that virtually none of the dances were lyrical, and went on to say that she was trying to save Lyrical and defined at length what it should and shouldn't be! She then awards high marks for first and second, and then begrudgingly puts the girl who usually wins 3rd! Worked well for DD as her teacher obviously knows the rules and she qualified in second. There were a lot of shocked murmurings in the room as normally the other dances are the successful ones.

Hi there, I wonder if you might repeat what the adjudicator expects in a Lyrical dance as my DD is hoping to choreograph her own routine and it is to a sad slow song and she hopes to put a mixture of classical and contemporary technique? Any advice most welcome!

[Lilac]

Yes sure, the adjudicator did say she had been to a recent meeting at All England about 'saving' lyrical dance!

 

Should be: inspiring, free flowing, dancing from the heart.

 

Should not include: lots of angst, lots of floor work, if you go down should be to go straight up, stopping and starting.

 

DD's dance which was correct to her was set to 'What a wonderful world', a much happier song than most of what we'e ever seen! Most of what we see which are pretty depressing.

 

Hope this helps. Was news to us as normally the other sort get placed!

[taxi4ballet]

We once heard that an adjudicator had referred to the senior lyrical section at one festival as the "Doom and Gloom" section! She'd obviously seen rather too much angst-ridden stuff that week

[sarahw]

That's a good one taxi - can quite see that being the case. Our local festival usually has to divide senior lyrical into 2 sections there are so many...... Do feel sorry for the adjudicator!

[annaliesey]

That's really interesting as my dd going to do a lyrical solo at a festival in the next 2 weeks and it will be the first time we've attended a traditional festival.

 

We went to a festival in November (not all england) and interesting that they combined lyrical and contemporary into one category and it was difficult to tell them apart so I wonder if things like this and prompting the defence of lyrical

[BankruptMum]

Thank you for sharing that experience Lilac, I too agree with your adjudicator and feel some of the competitors are really verging on a contemporary/modern style.

 

I guess there is a fine line, my DD is very classical in approach and this section suits her well, she received a place at a recent festival with the comment that "first place was a lovely example of contemporary style whilst second was a very traditional approach".  Well there you go, dancing from the heart and lyrical in style is considered 'traditional' by that adjudicator who is also on the All England Panel.

 

Its no wonder the placings vary so much!  As long as my daughter brings a lump to my throat, she had done a good job in my book :-)