Jordan
Cover Girl
Banbury, home to the Hobby Horse Grand National, an event organised to raise much needed funds for horses in the third world to get private dental care and the Banbury Cross of the nursery rhyme, which was destroyed by the Puritans in 1602 and today was a day for the purist of Freestyle to witness the Vicky Cooper Supa Duper trophy scooper in action. Banbury the home of spice and current cakes, spiced ale and Formula 1 was home to Kevin and Emily Edwards annual summer bash.
In the UK we have a large collection of freestyle talent ranging across the ages, rarely do we get to see them all on one dance floor, so what do they do when not together? They travel the country lighting up competitions like Banbury, they enter the room as celebrities, kids flock to get their photo taken with them and then they treat the entire room to a performance that delights and amazes from the off, Watching them you have to wonder why they are heralded across the nation by so many and having witnessed Chantelle Reid in Banbury our questions have all been answered, they dont look around the floor to see who the competition is, they hit the floor with 150 percent effort on every occasion and leave the worrying to the rest, Chantelle lit up the room so brightly had we turned off the lights she would have attracted every moth in Oxfordshire!
This competition had everything, Cheap Parking, Atmosphere, Solos, Slow, Teams, Street and some of the finest and largest trophies on the circuit, Kevin and Emily take the road show on to Chichester next before returning to Banbury later in the year, so it may be a good idea to snap up some tickets now.
And finally, we wish Sheila and Pete from DanceHouse a long healthy and happy retirement.
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Long, Long ago in a place far away, well it was for DJ Nick and Princess Layah of Bristol anyway, you know how it goes from here, Princess Layah steels the hearts and the ogar eats all the competitors and then heads north..... In fact it couldnt be further from the truth, well, apart from the bit about stealing everyones heart, that is.
Kerry Maddox competition at Leasowes was a joy from start to finish even though the room temperature was set to cook a beef joint in less than the time allowed for a slow spot. A great addition to the comp was the new beginners competition which gave the newbies a chance to share in the glory and have a fantastic welcome to Freestyle Dance, top DJ Nick McAuley was on hand to ensure the music was superb all day and keep the competitors on a fast paced beat.
This Black Country ho down had the lot, atmosphere, excitement, fun, heat, Princess Layahs Birthday, with the only thing missing..Our diner! So to anyone who sat in a six mile tailback on the M6 eating our diner, you missed a cracking day at Leasowes, good news is you can catch the next one on 18th October.
And so the Trabolganites were summoned to the White gates by the Lords of Spectrum and Energy, if you think that is dramatic it has nothing on this weekender of electric atmosphere, ear splitting noise, fantastic music and a bigger crowd than a Harry Potter release could attract over a weekend.
The dancers had more sparkle than the Deep River rock water that was being consumed by the gallon and Janine had supplied the prizes to ensure all was in place for the fully paid up members of the Gorgeous Girls Club who were about to battle out in the chase for the biggest individual prize on the Freestyle calendar.
Friday night kicked off with a Grand Prix that had the under twelves in so many lines that we had three birthdays during their heats and they ended up dancing in the youth competition! The dances went on thick and fast with all the winners crowned as the clock struck eleven and then it was off to the party and then bed in our three bedroom house complete with conservatory and two bathrooms, is this really a holiday camp?
Saturday, and we all wake to beautiful Irish sun, a stroll to the beach is quickly follow by a canter to the competition through the prettiest of holiday camps?
The ballroom is fixed in a slumber of slow dance, with Nick McCawley doing his stuff as the nappies to 12 grace the floor, session 2 would become Beginner/Starter heaven as the numbers swelled to almost capacity and heats got larger and larger, sadly this was to come to an end and swiftly the Freestyle pairs and teams gave the floor a severe beating again. As we left the room for the early evening break the tension was starting to build for the All Ireland Championships and its mammoth prize, a prize so big it could be an Irish version of grab the adds?
Session three started with a teachers presentation and two life time achievement awards for Sabrina Byrne and Marisha Cartillion, both of which I am sure danced in the under twelve GP last night, or maybe not? Battle commenced just on 7.30pm and by 10pm we were in a position to evaluate the top three as they split from the madding crowd, following the dance ons and with so much at stake the dancers were joined on the floor by their teachers, as all stood in the near silent room holding hands the winner was announced, as always a long drawn out announcement, we really should get our own back and change our names to a single syllable like O! Before Tommy could complete the nameAmy Carhill she had hit the floor in tears, closely followed by a Wimbledon type climb over everyone in the way to reach Mam. Having danced for Thomas Gately for five years this was her greatest moment and a memory that will live with her forever, as she climbed the stairs to the podium still sobbing, the judges were awaiting her arrival brandishing the prizes, a Sony stereo system, a television, a bag of Janine goodies, trip for two to Disney, giant trophy, sash, a winners medal, a bike and just to ensure she could buy a bag big enough to carry them all home in a €1,000 cheque, both me and Nick have decided we will enter the adult boy next year and Nick is also contemplating bringing the rugby boys over to do Street Teams as that also attracts a €500 6 x 4 friend!
When asked how she felt, Amy fighting back the tears said that she thought she was going to sick when her name was announced and meanwhile her Mam was busy deciding on a Pluto or Goofy hat for the trip!
After all the excitement of Saturday night, Sunday began in a far more sedate mood with slow dance, followed by, Rock n Roll, pairs and then, the entire population of Ireland not old enough to hold a driving licence turned up to do the Hip Hop solos, the judges feet could be heard screaming in Cork and shop keepers having heard the scream were seen running in the direction of Trabolgan with boxes of Redfoot folding shoes! Another giant of a competition played out this outstanding weekend of dance and with just the How do I get Ryanair to allow these on board competition it was all over for another year, winners included, Chloe Fitzpatrick, Angel friends, little Divas, Foot Dreams, Undisputed, Spectrum and Energy, which leaves just three last observations of an exceptional competition, 1) why do all under 12 starters wear pink 3) If you want your kids to go absolutely mad for school, get a bag with Janine written on it and have Thomas Gatley give it away and 3) Check your own case if you feel that shoes are required during the weekend, I would end by saying lets put our hands together for the promoters, but as I have damaged ligaments and Thomas has one of those big blow up hands from the weekend it may not be apt!
If youve never entered one of the Spectrum/Energy promotions, then you have two to choose from with Killarney and Trabolgan offering a feast of dance and extremely differing locations, book it now you know it makes sense.
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