empressorchestra

Another fabulous experience for the gentlemen of the Empress Orchestra and myself this year.

Many thanks for the wonderful comments about our music and the way we perform it, your kind words really do go a long way to help make us feel part of the whole “Festival” atmosphere.

The standard of dance again this year was incredible and some of the competitions were fiercely contested… None more so than the Professional Latin & Ballroom competitions. It just goes to show how very important this event is to everyone!

We had a wonderful response to the new music we performed this year… One completely new and original piece of music: ‘The Dokman Tango’, seemed to really grab everyone’s attention including the dancers & judges (who loved it). Then new orchestrations for Waltz, Rumba, Slow foxtrot (x2) and Quickstep (x2).

You see… We do care about what you dance to, it is as important to us as it is to you!

I have already started to make preparations for some more new, original and innovative material for next year which will see the introduction of: 1 original & 1 new Paso Doble, 1 or 2 original Cha Cha Cha, 1 original Rumba, 1 new Slow Foxtrot and 1 new Jive. The Paso Doble compositions and orchestrations will be very different from anything that we currently perform and should hopefully be a refreshing change for the couples and help with creativity within this dance that is often sadly lacking because of stereotypical choreography.

I really enjoyed my first lecture for the  British Dance Council as they hosted the ‘World Ballroom Dancing Congress’ on Saturday morning and would like to thank our lead trombonist Lee Hallam for his contribution and also Tony & Amanda Dokman for their invaluable help in making the audible… visual.

(You had to be there to get the full picture)!

Looking forward to next year and my 10th year as Musical Director to the Blackpool Dance Festivals.

Would love to hear from you.

Best wishes,

Ashley Frohlick