Ross Kendall
The troupe dancing at the Lismore Music Eisteddfod last weekend was a riot of colour, sound and movement involving young dancers from across the region.
The annual event showcased the dancers from dozens of dance studios including Brunswick Valley School of Dance, Industry Dance (Tweed Heads), Dance Lab (Bangalow), Byron Dance Dynamics, Heart of Dance (Lennox Head), Making Moves (Ballina) and Funky Moves (Byron).
A full auditorium at the Lismore City Hall watched a range of dance styles including jazz, hip hop, musical theatre and lyrical.
More than 30 dancers aged from eight to 14 from Byron Dance Dynamics competed and many came home with accolades and high recognition from the judges, principal Kate Histon said.
The weekend was all about ‘healthy competition and not high pressure, so everyone can have a good time’.
‘Children at this age are thirsty to be good at something, it is really good for their self-esteem. It has to come from the child,’ she said.
Plenty of effort went into the performances with fantastic costumes and quality dancing the norm.
The performers put in at least 6-12 hours training a week, but can do more depending on their age and how enthusiastic they are, Histon said.
Dancing is just one part of the Eisteddfod that has been running for 104 years and attracts more than 4000 competitors from across the northern rivers.
