Festival of Dance high standard impresses adjudicator

Hundreds of young people took part in last week’s event, with classical Greek, tap, modern and ballet among the styles on show.

This was UK adjudicator Jill Redford’s first visit to the island and she said it had been a great experience.

‘I’ve had a lovely time,’ she said.

‘There’s been a great standard.

‘The teachers have clearly worked very hard, as to get to this high a standard, it takes a lot of time and effort. The groups have been fabulous and the co-ordination has been good.’

One performance that stuck in her mind was a group tap routine.

‘It was a very innovative tap group, very 1984, Big Brother style,’ she said.

‘It shows there is great innovation and it shows the teachers have good ideas.

‘I would love to come back.’

She said the only downside was that the festival had kept her so busy, she had not had much chance to see the island.

‘We have been finishing at 10.30pm and starting at 9am, so there has been long days,’ she said.

However, she is hopeful that she will return at some point to see more of Guernsey.

The dance school teachers have also been putting in long hours to train their pupils and get them on stage.

Academy of Dance and Theatre Arts principal Rhianna King said it had been a great week.

‘It gives them an opportunity to perform and it teaches them really important life skills,’ she said.

‘They have all been so excited.’

Among the performers was seven-year-old Belle Jones.

She performed Dixie Biscuits with her class from Gate as part of the under nine tap session on Saturday.

The dancers had to use large biscuit props as part of their show.

‘We have been training since September,’ she said.

‘Dancing with the biscuit is a bit hard and we have to dance on it.

‘I do get a bit nervous, but when I get into it, it’s fine.’

n A free supplement on the Festival of Dance will be included with The Guernsey Press Friday 1 February edition.