EXAMINATION SUCCESSES - 2002 There were two NATD examination sessions in June and July 2002 in which 122 pupils were entered for grade examinations. There was a 100% pass rate with 49 pupils achieving MERIT (80 - 84%) 22 pupils achieving HONOURS (85 - 89%) and 4 pupils achieving DISTINCTION (90% and above). Special mention should be made of CAROLYN WHITE (aged 16) who achieved 98% in her ELEMENTARY/INTERMEDIATE ballet examination. Miss Beryl Morina who was her examiner said that she had never awarded such a mark previously. CAROLYN auditioned for several of the top ballet schools in the country and successfully achieved places with full funding in four of them. She has chosen to attend The Central School of Ballet in London and will be commencing her studies there on 3rd September 2002. We wish her every success in her future career! Congratulations to NATALIE GILMOUR and LARA OSMOTHERLY who were both successful in achieving their Associate Teachers qualification in Classic Ballet - Natalie passing with a Distinction and Lara with Honours Unfortunately Lara will be leaving us this term to move on to University and we wish her every success in the future Congratulations to Jenna Hubbard who was successful in achieving her Associate Teacher's qualification with IDTA for Freestyle Dance. FESTIVALS/COMPETITIONS/PERFORMANCES We have participated in two dance festivals this year in Medway and Ramsgate and special mention should be made of HOLLY GIBSON who won 6 medals in the Medway festival and who was chosen by the Adjudicator as the "Most promising dancer" in the festival. Holly then went on to win 8 medals at the Ramsgate festival. Other medal winners included JONI GIBSON and CLAIRE McKENZIE Our senior students, now known as THE BLUEBELL DANCERS have again just completed a very successful summer season at THE THEATRE ROYAL MARGATE. Many comments have been made both by the audiences and the media on the high standard and professionalism of their performances. Well done girls! This same group of girls have also taken part in the BBC RADIO KENT CHARITY SHOW at the Brook Theatre Chatham and they have now been invited to take part in the next BBC RADIO KENT charity production which will be an Olde Tyme Music Hall at the Theatre Royal Margate in February 2003. Dancers included in this group are Aimee Baker Claire Cloete Joni Gibson Jenna Hubbard Tracy Simler Sarah Thornewell and Carolyn White. If anyone is interested in booking the group for cabaret or show work please contact Sue Burnham-Jones for details. JONI GIBSON was selected to dance with the ENGLISH YOUTH BALLET in their performance of "The Nutcracker" at the Harlequin Theatre Redhill and Joni and her sister HOLLY, together with STEPHANIE AND AMANDA WHITE have also been selected to perform with the KENT YOUTH BALLET in their 2002 production at The Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells on 1st and 2nd November. All four girls recently attended the Kent Youth Ballet summer school where the teachers and choreographers awarded HOLLY GIBSON the DANCING TIMES SCHOLARSHIP for her dance performance. "CATS" WORKSHOP - 3rd August 2002 This was attended by approx 50 pupils and was led by Kate and Oliver Tydman. (dancers from"Cats" - Kate was an ex pupil of the School) The day went very well and culminated in a short performance of a scene from "Cats" for the parents. SUMMER SCHOOL - 12TH - 16TH AUGUST Approximately 30 pupils took part in the summer school led by Natalie Gilmour and ably assisted by Carol Ashman, Philip Copping and Sylvia Cooper. Judging by the performance on the last day, all the children had a wonderful time. Many thanks to Natalie and her helpers for such a successful week. Children, parents and friends raised £113.28 from their end- of- week show and this will be donated to the Demelza House appeal together with other profits from the production of "Coppelia" in December. |
EVENTS OF 2002 25th Gala Show - 9th February 2002- We were delighted that so many of our original students returned to celebrate with us. "Coppelia"4th - 5th December 2002 raised £1,353.00 for Demelza House FESTIVALS AND COMPETITIONS In competitions/festivals we have been very successful - because of pressure of shows and exams only a few girls entered and special mention must be given to Claire Mckenzie and Joni Gibson who both won medals and particular mention to Holly Gibson who came away with 14 medals and cups from Medway and Ramsgate Festivals AT NATIONAL LEVEL Joni Gibson was selected to dance with ENGLISH YOUTH BALLET AND KENT YOUTH BALLET - Amanda and Stephanie White and Holly Gibson were also selected for the Kent Youth Ballet which performed at Assembly Halls Tunbridge Wells Holly Gibson received The Dancing Times award based on her performance at KYB Summer School. Carolyn White auditioned for several full-time Ballet Schools and was offered 4 places She chose to go to The Central School of Ballet in London and was offered a fully funded place. Amanda White has been chosen to dance in The London Chidren's ballet production of "The Prince and the Pauper" - to be presented at The Peacock Theatre in London in May PERFORMANCES Seven of our SENIOR students again performed at the professional Summer Show produced by Paul Harris of Radio Kent Fame at theatre Royal MARGATE and have been asked to dance in this years 8 week season starting in July They have performed in 2 Radio Kent charity shows this year at The Brook and The Theatre Royal Margate and are opening both acts of The Olde Tyme Music Hall for Radio Kent at The Theatre Royal Margate on 17th February this year tickets available from Radio Kent!! Jenna Hubbard ably assisted by Sarah Thornewell organised and choreographed a dance show for their school raising a considerable sum of money for charity. Jenna even persuaded 8 of her teachers to perform a salsa routine which turned out to be one of the big moments of the show! Five of our juniors took part in the United Players pantomime at St Williams Church Hall and Elizabeth Blenkinsop took part in the Central Theatre Pantomime WORKSHOPS Natalie Gilmour organised and lead a very successful Summer School at St Williams Church and Kate Tydman, an ex pupil and dancer in "Cats" ran a "Cats" 1 day workshop which was attended by approx 50 members of the School PRESENTATION OF AWARDS JUNIOR BALLET Joint Winners EMILY WOLFE SOPHIE WOLFE SOPHIE PHILLIPS MELISSA JONES SENIOR BALLET Winner CAROLYN WHITE RUNNERS -UP AMANDA WHITE HOLLY GIBSON TAP STAGE AND MODERN JUNIOR Winner EMILY WOLFE Runners up FIONA YOUNG EMMA COOPER TAP STAGE AND MODERN SENIOR WINNERS CAROLYN WHITE AIMEE BAKER JONI GIBSON ALL ROUND - JUNIOR WINNER EMILY WOLFE RUNNER UP SOPHIE PHILLIPS ALL ROUND - SENIOR WINNER CAROLYN WHITE RUNNERS UP AIMEE BAKER JONI GIBSON PROGRESS CUP (JANET BARNARD) The award here is for pupils in grade 1 and above who have shown determination and effort and a positive attitude and in whom we have seen outstanding progress during the year . This award goes to those who have not won other awards and we try to pick different pupils each year so if you have won a progress award during the last couple of years you will not be on the list this time - however this does not mean that you have not shown these qualities during the year - we can only award approx 10 in the School and it is a very difficult task. JOINT WINNERS SANDRA BROADFIELD and CLAIRE McKENZIE Runners up LUCY ALLEN ZOE CASTOnN CHARLEY GAMBLE ALICE OSEMAN HANNAH JOSLING AMY PAINE NATALIA ROUS STEPHANIE WHITE PERFORMERS AWARD WINNER CLAIRE CLOETE HELEN BOURNE CUP WINNER SARAH THORNEWELL |
