Junior Dance Festival
by Ashley Frohlick on Sep.16, 2009, under Events
Just to let children and parents know that from 2010, the Blackpool Junior Dance Festival will be moving from Blackpool Tower to the Winter Gardens.
There are several reasons for the move: A larger dance floor, easier access, tighter security, better facilities for the dancers, adjudicators and orchestra and also for those selling merchandise. This coupled with the fact that the building can be dedicated to the JDF and not shared with the general public during the Easter holidays makes it a more suitable venue.
The “Jungle Jims” experience has changed somewhat over recent years. Each child now has to be accompanied by an adult and they are only allowed in there for one hour, without makeup! (that includes the girls). The space and layout is better for this kind of event and for dancers and spectators there should be more on offer at the Winter Gardens from 2010.
If you have any comments or questions that you wish to leave on this or any of the subjects on our Blog, please feel free to do so.
Best wishes,
Ashley Frohlick
September 28th, 2009 on 6:12 am
Hi well I fully understand the move and look forward to the new venue. I wonder where the adjudicators may be seated for the Formation events as it would be great if they may be somewhere on the first balcony and perhaps in a position which may allow the teams to be seen by the audience as the routines are really superb to watch. Much hard work goes into this style and the friends and families of the dancers would really like to see the teams from the best possible angle.
Kindest Regards Mark (Starlite Trainer)
September 28th, 2009 on 11:39 am
Hi Mark,
Many thanks for your comments. I would assume that the judges will be sitting onstage for the formation teams, it’s where they normally are. I can’t imagine them being thrown into the lions den on the first balcony!
As far as dancing to the judges or dancing to the crowd; as a performer, it would be the crowd every time for me, though I do understand the dilemma. One thing to remember; at the Winter Gardens if the judges are onstage, the floor is narrow in front of them and wide to the sides, (the opposite way to the Tower). Often teams tend to get a little compacted in front of the stage as a result.
Best wishes,
Ashley
October 7th, 2009 on 8:01 am
hi
please can you publish the times of each practice?
i seem to remember it starting quite early on the saturday last year
i am over an hour away from blackpool and was considering staying over for on Friday 9th April
or can you point me in the direction so i can get a timetable of the events etc
October 7th, 2009 on 10:42 am
Hi Stephen,
At present I can supply you with the practise times for the 2009 JDF and would assume that they will be virtually the same in 2010. The two rehearsal days most likely to change are Saturday and Sunday depending on the entry numbers for the Formation events.
As the closing date for entries is a long way off yet, I don’t think that the festival office will confirm times until they are. If you would like to get in touch with them directly please follow the Blackpool Dance Festival link on our ‘Links’ page.
Practise Times for 2009 JDF:
Monday starts: 10:30 – Sequence. 11:00 – Ballroom. 11:30 – Latin.
Tuesday starts: 10:00 – Ballroom. 10:30 – Latin. 11:00 – Sequence.
Wednesday starts: 9:30 – Latin. 10:00 – Ballroom. 10:30 – Sequence.
Thursday starts: 10:00 – Sequence. 10:30 – Latin. 11:00 – Ballroom.
Rehearsal Times for JDF 2009:
Friday starts: 12:00 – Sequence Formation.
Saturday starts: 8:00 – Ballroom/Latin Formation.
Sunday starts: 7:30 – Ballroom/Latin Formation.
I hope this helps though as I say, if you want to know for sure then please contact the Dance Festival directly on the link previously mentioned.
Best wishes,
Ashley
October 7th, 2009 on 12:22 pm
hi
where is the link?
cheers for the info
October 7th, 2009 on 12:49 pm
Hi Stephen,
The link to the Blackpool Dance Festival can be found on our ‘Links’ page. If you click on the ‘Links’ button third from the right (next to the ‘Blog’ button) on the menu/navigation bar you’ll find what you are looking for.
Best wishes,
Ashley
March 21st, 2010 on 2:16 pm
Hi
The event is now 3 weeks away
Any idea yet what time the practice is, on Sat and Sun
March 24th, 2010 on 9:36 pm
Hi Stephen,
The rehearsals for Saturday and Sunday (10 & 11 April of the JDF) are at 8 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. respectively.
I hope that this helps, though if you are competing in the event or have family members involved during the two days, the teachers of the formation teams should already have the information you require.
As the Orchestra does not perform for this part of the proceedings any further enquiries you might need to make should be directed either to your formation team teacher(s) or directly to the Dance Festival office, a link of which can be found on our ‘Links’ page.
Best wishes,
Ashley.