Glendale Theatre Arts School

Glendale has just returned triumphant with a haul of medals from the Grand Finals of All England Dance competition held in London between 23 July and 2nd August. As you all know, the competition is held only every other year and to get into the Grand finals you have to qualify over the previous 18 months at regional competitions, then go through to Regional Finals, which we competed at in May (there were 6 across the UK in May and June) and from the Regional Finals a select number of high-level dances qualify for the Grand Finals held in London. The competition started on Thursday July 23rd and ran all day everyday until Saturday 1st August. Then Sunday 2nd was the Grand Gala show and final awards.

Glendale was thrilled to have numerous solos, duets, trios, quartets and groups qualify for the the Grand Finals and so the school had done remarkably well to get so much so far! However, the best was yet to come with the school winning 2 sections (Gold medals), Runner-up in 3 sections (Silver medals) and 3rd place (Bronze medals) in another 5 sections. This is an even better result than we achieved in 2007, when the school also gained Gold medals and was invited to open the Grand Gala show. This year, not only did the school perform a Senior Group in the Grand Gala but the most prestigious award for choreography went to our group, entitled Murphy's Swing, choreographed by our own Miss Vickie! It is a huge honour and accolade for her as it is the only award of its kind in the whole competition and was announced at the Grand Gala, making for an amazing end to an outstanding week!

The participants in the all the various groups that competed ranged in age from 7 years to 18 years; the little 'Once Upon a Time' group that was in the 9 and Under section gained an impressive Silver medal. Each group member receives a medal to keep and so the final tally for the school is an incredible 28 Gold medals, 33 Silver, and 30 Bronze, coming to a total of 91!

A number of this year's Gold Medal winners were dancers who had achieved Gold at the 2007 All England Dance, and there is a lovely picture of some of the dancers outside the theatre posing beside a picture of themselves taken onstage in 2007 - our group picture was used by the All England dance on the large posters outside the Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre, which was a great honour.

GOLD WINNERS

Murphy's Swing: Senior modern group

Cabaret quartet: Alicia Buck, Olivia Hawkins Millie Hood and Frances Roberts

SILVER

Once Upon a Time: 9 and under Modern group

Drallion: 12 and under Modern group

Little league 15 and under Classical Group

BRONZE

Chrissie Bhima Solo Greek

Don't Mean a Thing Quartet, Alice Ballantyne, Beth Highsted, Ellie Smyth and Ellie Vince

Jeux D'Enfant Senior Classical group

Will Botting Modern solo

One by One Senior Modern Group

Please check out the Gallery for more pictures from the finals!!