This annual event set over two days at Salford's Lowry Theatre is the chance for the best of the region's amateur youth dance companies to come together to compete for a place in the national competition held later in the year to find the best youth dance group in Britain. Held over a weekend in late Winter/ early Spring, the Lowry hosts workshops and seminars as well as two public performances of the current year's entries into the event. Other regions host similar events throughout the country culminating in the semi -final and final where one or two groups from each region then compete against each other. This year I was only able to be with them on the Sunday, and so apologies to those whom I missed on the Saturday, but I can only write about those groups I witnessed.
As is now custom, the evening began with a short foyer show from a young group of dancers not participating in the competition, but instead, there to give their youngsters confidence and experience. In this case it was Cardale Under 11s Dance Group from Halifax, and these six youngsters performed their self-devised piece called, "Our Future".
In the Quays Theatre we were then presented with this evening's 12 troupes. Six before and six after a short interval. The remit for U.Dance is that the choreography can be in any style, including folk dances from other countries, however, this year, as indeed in previous years, the vast majority were contemporary dance / ballet. The evening however started and ended with Hip Hop. With the final piece, a group of six boys, presenting 'The Birth Of Hip Hop' whilst including some Street Dance and Breakdance within their routine too.
Of course all 12 groups were meritorious, and once again, it was a delight to see such an array and abundance of local talent. However, I obviously had favourites, as indeed everyone should. My criteria however, in case you were wondering, is thus.... I look for how suitable the choreography is: does it fit the chosen music, the chosen style, the chosen narrative, and is it both within the reaches and capabilities of the dancers and does it show stylistic expression and flair. Is there a good use of performance space, and is there a mix and balance between solo, duet, group, and ensemble work. Does the dance have an arresting start and / or end. Are the dancers in time and in sync. Then I look at costuming and lighting. Are these appropriate and effective. Finally I look at the dancers themselves... are they enjoying the dance, fully commited or is there fear and uncertainty in their eyes. Having watched all 12 troupes and applied the above criteria, then I shall be very personal and subjective for a moment if you will allow, and give you my top five.
In joint second place this evening were "Into The Shadows" by Infinity Dance And Theatre School (Chester), 'Final Destination' by Wirral Grammar School for Girls (Bebington), 'Red Pilled' by Zig Zag Youth, and "If You Go Down To The Woods Today" by Newmanouevres Dance Academy (Cardinal Newman College, Preston). However, my absolute favourite this evening was the gorgeous and lovely contemporary ballet, 'The Mist' by Elysium Dance Theatre. The icing on the cake for this piece however would have been a little haze (mist) from a smoke machine, but even without that, this dance ticked all the boxes and then some!
For future reference the programme does not tell the audience where the groups are from, and so, even with a little web searching, I have still been unable to locate some of this evening's troupes sadly. The north west is a large area!
Congratulations to all, and once again thank you for proving that this corner of that green and pleasant land we call home is full of young, keen, and talented dancers ready to take on whatever their future holds!
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