Festivals

Colchester Rotary Festival of Music and Dance June 2009

We have recently taken part in the Rotary Festival held at Colchester Sixth Form College, everyone had great fun and we were awarded some 1st 2nd and 3rd places. This was however only part of the importance, the students had fun and primarily that is what dance is all about, it taught many of the students the need to enjoy and perform to the audience and they were given constructive criticism by the adjudicator about how to improve various aspects of their performance art. Well done to you all, we as the teaching staff feel immensely proud of you all.

The following review was written by KJ Watts on her experiences at the Festival:

Some of our students took part in the dance section of the festival, this also included song and dance. All the people who took part enjoyed performing in a new environment.

It was a challenge to master the new dance routines in a short time. Many thanks to Miss Leanne and all the teachers who helped us with the routines and for being there to support us. All of the students from Colne Bank achieved good marks and enjoyed themselves.

For some students it was their first festival.

It was a chance to do things I hadn’t done before, a duet as well as a solo, singing and dancing routine.

There was a good atmosphere in the changing rooms, with mums helping as well as meeting pupils from other dance schools. Some of the costumes were amazing. 

The Rotary club were very friendly and helpful. In an interval before my first dance, one of the helpers showed me back stage and allowed me to go on to the stage to see what it was like.

My first dance was a solo, I was very nervous at the start, but once I started dancing, I was fine and I thoroughly enjoyed performing.

The adjudicator was friendly and gave good advice, which I will be able to use in the future. My second dance was a duet with Emily Dart which was really fun to practice and perform.

My festival ended with junior jazz performing to Michael Jacksons ‘Will you be there?’ Being on stage with all my friends was the highlight of the festival for me, but that wasn’t the end as we were asked to go back and perform on the Gala night the following Friday.

I would recommend taking part in dance festivals. Many thanks again to all my teachers.

KJ Watts

Sudbury Festival of Music Speech and Dance

14th - 18th February 2009

On Sunday 15th February our Senior Modern Students took part in the Sudbury Festival winning their section dancing to Faithless 'We Come 1' - well done girls it had everyone on the edge of their seats.

On Wednesday 18th February our Junior Jazz class came 2nd in their section dancing to Michael Jacksons 'Will You Be There' having a very wide range of ages in this number we thought it would be great experience for the to take part and achieving 2nd place was a well deserved bonus Congratulations to you all.

Well done Miss Gemma for the outstanding choreography.

Having taken part many times in the past,  we all enjoyed taking part in the Festival again, most of the students involved had not taken part before and so it was a new experience and are now looking forward to the Colchester Festival.

The following review was written by Hannah Redfearn about her experience at the Festival

On Sunday the 15^th of February I took part in the Sudbury Festival of Music, Speech and Dance. It’s a competitive Festival open to all ages groups from under five to over eighty, and an excellent opportunity to perform on stage! 

Some students, including myself from the Colne Bank School of Dancing participated in the over eighteens category in the Sudbury festival, performing a dance choreographed by Gemma Phillips.

As soon as I arrived on the festival site there was a friendly, pleasant atmosphere with all the contestants practicing their routines and watching the other performances on stage.

Whilst we were getting our hair and makeup done, there were mums and relatives rushing around and congratulating their daughters and sons on how well they had danced, there was a real buzz around backstage, as we all waited nervously for our time to perform.

When I was dancing on the stage it felt really good and the energy was amazing, as the audience were on the edge of there seats.

After we competed the results certainly reflected all the hard work that everyone had put in as we achieved 1^st place! I would definitely do it again and enjoyed it hugely.

Hannah Redfearn