Duesbury Aldred Dance Centre Blog

Yesterday saw us all making the short trip to West Park for the first of our two annual competitions. A report on the day will follow shortly from our mystery blogger but just a few headlines and thanks to give.

Firstly, as always, everyone was immaculately turned out and the support was terrific. We had 44 competitors including some dancing with us for the first time: Andrew, Kathryn, Heather, Shanae, Ellie and Charlotte Brightwell. Of these Ellie, Kathryn and Charlotte won one of their events so congratulations to all of you. We had 40 first places overall as well as some stand out performances where people perhaps exceeded their expectations. There were just too many to mention you all by name however, but well done to you all.

In the couples events there were some first time partnerships who also won their events so congratulations to Isobel & Grace S and Molly & Miriam.

We had some new additions to the Bears Brigade, who were magnificently attired for the occasion and thoroughly enjoyed their first outing.

In the final analysis it was just an all round great team effort, the dancers, supporters, teachers and helpers. There was a great atmosphere and it wouldn’t happen without you. Thank you all and don’t forget the next competition is on 11^th June followed closely by our own event on June 25th. Make sure you don’t miss out.

p.s. Boris has asked me to let you know how very proud he is to be associated with you all and looks forward to the next outing!!

Yesterday was a sequence only Blackpool qualifier competition. The event we usually call Whitwick but this year the venue changed to West Park, Long Eaton. This meant we were on home ground and also that we had an extra 15 minutes in bed (nice).

We had a strong turnout both in quantity and quality. In the Juvenile event, Grace S won, Chloe was 2nd and Isobel was 4th. They were all amazing but special mention must go to Isobel who has worked so hard to be ready for her first sequence three dance event and on the day rose to the challenge and performed way beyond expectation. She also looked lovely in the new dress she’d had for the occasion.

In the Junior event, Molly won, Olivia was 2nd and Jack was 3rd. They all looked great and importantly have now qualified to dance at Blackpool.

In the under 35yrs event we had seven dancers. Josh and Grace had the added challenge of partnering each other and should be pleased they secured both 1st and 2nd spots. Emily came a very satisfying 3rd, with Libbie, Craig, Paul and Karly coming in close behind.

In the over 35yrs event there were only four entries. So our team of Karen, Serena, Neil and Chris were responsible for putting on the show. Today Karen turned the tables on recent results, proving how close everyone is and how such minute details and adjudicators personal preferences can change a result.

In the over 50yrs event we had nine dancers. Carla maintained her winning form and came out top again, closely followed by Dawn, Christine, Andy, Sue and Dennis.

This event has more spectators than our usual competitions and we were very proud of the display you all put on for them. As we were such a large team today, lots of partners had to the drafted in. Huge thanks to Luke, Liam, Alex and Ruth who came especially to partner and also to Josh, Karen and Molly who partnered as well as competed.

After the competitions, Liam and Alex treated us all to a super demonstration of classical sequence dancing. Showing us why they are the four times reigning undefeated British amateur champions. Alex looked beautiful in her white dress and Liam rather dapper in his tail suit. They performed a medley of classical waltzes, gavottes, saunters and two steps. I could see the audience trying to keep up with the long list of dances being displayed.

Liam and Alex bear were immaculately turned out to support their namesakes. In fact our family gathering of bears was so large today they needed their own table, a chair will no longer suffice. They all watched on attentively although we had a few tears at the end as one poor little bear was sadly left behind. Boris is currently providing support and hopefully he will be reunited with his owner soon (unless of course he decides it’s more fun to stay with Boris).

So there we have it. Another successful day. Next week we are off to Pudsey hoping for more Blackpool qualifying slips to be secured.

Yesterday was the annual NATD medal presentation dance. Unlike, most of our Sunday outings, it was a nice civilised 1pm start and an even more welcome 4pm finish.

During these three hours there was lots of time for general dancing, displays, charity raffle and presentation ceremony. Not forgetting, of course, fitting in time for a cup of tea and homemade cake.

The children (both young and a little bit older) provided the cabaret. Firstly, our younger dancers took to the floor to display their work in the Waltz, Tango, Cha Cha Cha and Rumba. Thanks to our more experienced dancers for partnering them. It was then the turn of our competitive junior and youth dancers to display their talents. Whilst we were chilling out over the Christmas vacation, Robert was choreographing the routine and cutting music for the four minute display. The dancers then had four, one hour classes to learn and perfect the work. All I can say is that it’s a good job they are all a quick study. Congratulations to you all for a super presentation. You all looked delightful.

The raffle raised a magnificent £140 for Treetops Hospice. Thank you to all who bought raffle tickets and also donated prizes.

The presentation of awards was a marathon task with a record number of medals to present. From the examination session in December, the examiner, Mr Page, commented on how well everyone was dressed and the dedication in which everyone presented their work was clear for him to see. There were no straight passes, with him awarding everyone at least Commended and the majority of results being Highly Commended. Within this there was a range of marks from 85% to 99%. The elusive 99% being awarded to three dancers across four examinations.

The school award, this year, was awarded to someone who has been with us since 2008. Taking part in all NATD and ISTD examinations and wherever possible all competitions and outings. The highlight of this time being at last year’s ISTD Grand Finals, where they won both their ballroom and Latin American events – well deserved congratulations to Geraldine Wilkes.
Thanks must go to the FRoGS for providing lovely homemade cakes and refreshments. Also, to Chris for enabling us to use George Spencer.

All that remains is to record our thanks to everyone –  dancers, parents, grandparents, supporters and friends for their continued hard work, dedication and support – you all make an amazing team.

It’s the start of a new year and the journey to qualify to dance at Blackpool begins again. As usual the first stop was Kettering although unusually we did not encounter any snow this year. It was all in our minds during the week but come Sunday all was clear for the trip.

The day started with the children’s section and recalls in the ballroom section were recorded by Kaitlyn, Chloe, Grace S, Leila and Molly. With Grace S recording a 6th in her quickstep and Molly a 3rd in her quickstep. In the Latin section recalls were achieved by Kaitlyn, Jack, Leila, and Molly. With Jack making his rumba final and coming 3rd whilst Leila came 7th in her cha cha cha. In the children’s couples events, Olivia & Molly came 4th and 5th whilst Jack & Leila came 6th and 3rd in ballroom and Latin respectively.

It was then the turn of the adults. There were numerous sterling performances and final places achieved. Wins were recorded by Hazel in her quickstep, Chris & Serena in their waltz and Craig & Emily in their cha cha cha.

Particular mention should be made of the sequence section. There are five age groups in this section and we are proud to record that we won all five sections. Grace S in the under 12yrs, Molly in the 12-15yrs, Grace P in the under 35yrs, Serena in the over 35yrs and Carla in the over 50yrs. This is a very notable team effort and well done to you all. Also to Chloe, Leila, Josh, Karen, Neil, Chris, Andy, Karen C, Dawn and Hazel for securing crucial final placings.

Thanks must as always be recorded to those who partnered Luke, Liam, Alex, Josh and Molly.  Without you it simply could not happen.

Whilst we had many familiar faces amongst the team we also had a few new faces. Whilst Peter & Carol dipped a toe into competitions last year they have now signed up for the full Blackpool journey. Also, we welcome Alexander, who has moved back to this area of the country and joined us after catching the dancing bug whilst away at university.

Crucially, we also said hello to four new team mascots. They are distant cousins of Boris and are called Zoe, Mannie, Alexandra and Liam. As you will see from the photograph, Alexandra came fully prepared and dressed for her role whilst one or two of the others were a little underprepared for their role. But, I’m sure they will have learnt greatly from this experience and will be fully prepared for their next outing!

Overall, it was a long day with very tough competition. This is all very crucial practice for the Blackpool weekend and as always we were proud of how dancers, partners and the all important supporters performed on the day.

Next we have some light relief with the Medal Presentation Dance at the end of the month (remember to purchase your tickets if you haven’t already) and then we have the sequence qualifier, which this year has moved from Whittwick to Long Eaton. So we’ll all get an extra half hours sleep!

This year’s Strictly George Spencer was bigger than ever with fourteen participants, four staff members and ten students. They had the usual ten weeks of training along with two Saturday sessions and they all performed really well on the night.

The event was a sell out as always and the enthusiastic crowd encouraged all the dancers to performances they didn’t know they were capable of. It was a tough decision for the judges, Claire Hall, Andrew Field and Michelle Webster, with many deserving contestants but in the end they selected seven lucky finalists who got to perform one routine once more.

The judges scored these performances and they  gave Harry a maximum score of 30, closely followed by Hymke on 29. However the ultimate winner is chosen by the audience and this year they selected Hymke. It is the first time we have had a female winner and the first staff member to win so a double first. Well done to Hymke partnered by Liam, although everyone performed brilliantly.

Once again it was a fantastic evening and there are many people who contribute to its success. Chris Haggett does a tremendous amount of work pulling it all together assisted in particular by Debbie and John, both of whom have been former contestants.

Thanks also to our partners in giving up their time for both rehearsals and on the evening: Luke, Liam, Alex, Karen, Paul, Josh, Grace, Lydia, Andy, Stuart, Molly, Emily, Craig and Olivia.

It is a real team effort and we couldn’t do it without all your support.

Roll on next year for Strictly Reunited!!!!

We recently held our NATD examination session over last Saturday and Sunday, due to the volume of exams being taken. It was terrific to see everyone so well turned out and all danced their very best. The examiner was very impressed and complimentary about the overall standard.

Well done to everyone for their hard work and dedication and thanks to Ruth for her assistance over the weekend. The presentation dance will be Sunday 29th January so make sure you get your tickets.

Next up we have Strictly George Spencer which promises to be another exciting evening followed by the annual Christmas Party. Look out for further reports.

It may only be a week after Blackpool but we were on the road again. Although, for some of us it was only a very short journey, this time to South Normanton.

It was the NATD North Midland area couples competition. This event has resided in several locations over the years. Originally it was at Burton Upon Trent, then more recently Friesland in Sandiacre and this year at a new venue in South Normanton.

It was a lovely venue with a smooth wooden floor and very tasteful decoration and lighting. The only problem was that the day attracted a few too many dancers and therefore we were rather a tight squeeze. Let’s just say we all knew each other a little better at the end of the day!

Couples in attendance today were Jack & Leila, Emily & Madeleine, Craig & Lydia, Chris & Karly, Andrew & Dawn and new to the team Paige & Wafiya.

Paige & Wafiya started the day off for us with a tie for 2^nd in the 12-15yrs Beginner’s Ballroom, which was later followed by a 2^nd place in the Beginner’s Latin. They also scored a 3^rd in their All Girls Ballroom and 4^th in the equivalent Latin event.

One of the special attractions of this event is that the major events are trophy holder events, where the winners retain a trophy for the following 12 months before it is competed for again. These trophies have over the years been donated and one of them is the Duesbury Aldred Trophy. This is competed for in the Boy/Girl 12-15yrs Ballroom event therefore Jack & Leila were under a certain amount of pressure to try to bring the trophy home. Of course, they rose to the challenge by winning this event and also the equivalent Latin competition and both the 12-13yrs events. A very proud day for their Mums, Dads, Grandmas, Grandad and Teachers.

Unusually for this day, the Adult events had the largest entry, with two recalls being needed to make a final. In the Open Adult Ballroom this was achieved by Craig & Lydia, Andrew & Dawn, Emily & Madeleine and Chris & Karly. Being placed 1^st, 3^rd, 4^th and 6^th respectively. This was a huge achievement especially as Craig and Lydia beat some regular winners and also it being Chris & Karly’s first competition together.

In the 16-35yrs ballroom again everyone made the final and Andrew & Dawn won the Over 35yrs event.

We then had some ‘serious fun’ in the Adult & Child events. As we had more adults than children in the team today, we were very much in demand with children from other dance schools. These competitions help to create a friendly atmosphere to the day. In the Adult with a child under 12yrs, all our Adults received at least one recall and after four rounds Craig and Andrew, with their partners, came 4^th and 5^th respectively.

In the Adult with a child aged 12-15yrs we had a duel on our hands as Jack danced with Karly and Chris with Leila. It was a very closely fought battle with Jack & Karly winning the event and Chris & Leila a very close second. Andrew & Wafiya and Paige & Dawn also joined in the fun. With Andrew & Wafiya coming 4^th and Paige & Dawn getting two recalls to the semi final.

Overall, it was a lovely day, slightly shorter and less intense than the previous weekend although all have an important place in our dancing calendar.

On we go, exams next and then Strictly George Spencer.

P.S. Boris has some exciting news he wishes to share – although his species of bear has been extinct for some while now, he has managed to track down some closely related cousins who will soon be relocating to this area and are looking for good homes. Watch this space for an update.

Blackpool in numbers: 35 competitors, 55 supporters, 7 bears, 30 hours spent in the ballroom, 67 semi-finalists, 36 finalists, 4 winners, 1 fantastic team.

It hardly seems like a whole year has passed since we were last at Grand Finals and yet here we were again ready to go again. The day began at 8.30am with the Juvenile and Junior events in which we had Luke, Grace S, Leila, Jack, Olivia and Molly participating, along with first timers at this event; Kaitlyn, Chloe and Isobel. Blackpool is always a high standard and, we say it every year, but the numbers and standard seemed higher than ever. Nevertheless our dancers performed magnificently as always and held their own. Everyone received at least one recall and most made at least one semi-final. Olivia, Leila and Jack all made a final and Luke reached both his finals, being placed 2nd in his ballroom event. The couples events followed and Luke & Chloe, Molly & Olivia and Jack & Leila were all in action. Again they all had at least two recalls with Luke & Chloe finishing 4th in their ballroom event and

Jack & Leila a terrific 3rd in their Latin event from an initial entry of 55 couples. Some great performances from everyone and the bar had been set for the adults.

The day ended just after 8pm and there was barely time to eat before it was time to return to the ballroom for the evening dance. This gives people a chance to socialise and relax a little ahead of day two.

The Sunday at Blackpool sees the sequence three dance events and all the adult competitions. Again we began at 8.30am with the sequence events and as there are no grades in these competitions, competition is always fierce. Most had at least one recall and 19 out of our 30 dancers got as far as the semi-finals with 9 of those going on to reach a final. Well done therefore to Grace S, Josh, Carla, Serena, Elizabeth, Christine, Sue, Andy and Allison.

Next came the adult non-qualifying events and joining us for the first time at these events were Libbie, Debbie, Tony, Peter and Carol. All of them got at least one recall and Libbie, Peter and Carol made their ballroom finals and Libbie and Carol also made their Latin finals. Dawn was also placed 3rd in her ballroom event. In the ballroom Qualifier events, again almost everyone got at least one recall and eight dancers reached the semi-finals. Four went on to reach their finals: Geraldine won her event (a feat she repeated in her Latin), Craig finished 3rd, a great achievement as he had had to move up a grade this time after winning his event last year, and Iris and Karen C also made their finals finishing 6th and 5th respectively.

The Latin events followed and this time Craig, Serena, Carla, Karen H, Iris and Geraldine all made their semi-finals with Serena, Iris and Geraldine going on to make the final.

After twelve hours in the ballroom the couples events began with the added excitement of having two floors and two competitions taking place at the same time. In spite of the potential for confusion all went smoothly and Josh and Grace P, Neil & Carla and Chris & Serena all made their ballroom finals finishing 1st, 4th and 5th respectively. In the Latin events Dennis & Sue came 2nd in their event as did Neil & Carla. Josh & Grace P came 4th and Peter & Carol finished 6th.

Another exhausting day finished just after 11pm and we all retired to the bar in the hotel for food and alcohol to reflect on the day’s highs and lows. The overall view was that it was another great weekend even if all the results didn’t always quite go our way. You all looked amazing, gave great performances and showed your commitment and dedication.

Thanks once again to our loyal supporters and our fantastic team of partners: Luke, Ruth, Alex, Liam, Karen and Josh, we couldn’t manage all that we do without you and your generosity in giving up your time both during the weekend and for practising.

Boris doesn’t have much time to recover as some of you will be in action again this weekend but he did have a great time meeting up with his chums and watching you all perform.

Next we have the NATD exam session and the much anticipated 4th series of Strictly George Spencer. Make sure you get your ticket as they will sell out quickly.

The team has just returned from the annual trip to ISTD Grand Finals in Blackpool and what a weekend it proved to be. As always there was a mix of jubilation and disappointment but thankfully more of the former. The numbers and standard increase each year so just getting a recall is an immense task but everyone involved did just that. In total our dancers reached 35 finals and included some winners, a tremendous achievement not just from the competitors themselves but all the many supporters, partners and mascots of course.

Well done to everyone, a full report will follow.