RUBY GINNER AWARDS 2007

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The Ruby Ginner Awards took place at the Winston Churchill Hall, in Ruislip on Saturday 3rd November. Again, it was great to note a large number of entries, right across the age range. Our main adjudicator for the day was Tanya Allen. Tanya is a very experienced adjudicator who is encourgaing and supportive. She was assisted in the morning by Yasmin Taylor-Hazzard, also an adjudicator. In the afternoon Tanya was assisted by our faculty musician, Roz Jennings. All three ladies have a sound knowledge of Classical Greek technique and therefore all the candidates were in good hands.

Throughout the day, the standard of work was high, and the enthusiasm of the dancers exciting to see.

Report 1

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The following report was submitted by Amelia Bell, who is 11 and attends the Kilburn School of Dance, and can be seen above at various points during her class. She competed in Class C this year and received a Highly Commended Certificate. She writes:

"Every year I look forward to the Ruby Ginner Awards and this year was one of my favourite years. For anyone who doesn’t know what the Ruby Ginner Awards are, it’s a competition where Classical Greek dancers (girls and boys) compete in a class type situation taught by professional Classical Greek Dance teachers. You perform in a hall with around 30 other people. I really enjoy doing the class/es as there are lots of other children with you. Everyone will have learnt the same syllabus due to the fact the classes are based on your appropriate grade, not your age.

I find it really helps my Classical Greek in all aspects including working with other children you haven’t met before also it helps your technique as different teachers have different tips and alternative ways of teaching.

I think it is really good experience for all young dancers as I find after taking part in the Ruby Ginner Awards I become more confident on stage and dancing in front of other people. In a class you have to an interpretation where you listen to a piece of music once and then make up your own dance to it. The movements have to reflect the style of the music. You also get taught a nature rhythm. This is where the teacher demonstrates and talks about an aspect of nature, such as a leaf, a snowflake, frost, wind, a flower growing and many more. You then have to dance as that aspect of nature.

I really enjoy the Ruby Ginner Awards and I would encourage other dancers to take part in it next year"

Report 2

The 2nd report comes from Mrs Susan Mitchell-Smith, a former Chairman and current examiner.

"Having taught for 50 years I feel that I have some idea now of what Classical Greek Dance, Ruby Ginner method is all about and the Ruby Ginner Awards are a marvellous way of promoting and supporting this lovely form of dance. As always the day this year had a very friendly and happy atmosphere with the adjudicator, Miss Tanya Allen (accompanied by Yasmin Taylor-Hazzard in the morning and Roz Jennings in the afternoon) having nothing but praise for the dancers and their teachers. I loved the enthusiasm and enjoyment of the candidates but I do wonder sometimes if they know what lies behind this genre. It is not just another set of movements to be turned on and off at will. It is a form of dance which has a reason or purpose behind every movement. It uses the whole person - body, mind and spirit. Although the basic technique may initially be simple it can be adapted and varied in endless ways, therefore no two classes need ever be the same. It has movements for every part of the body which are adapted to the particular required quality based on the lyrical, athletic, ritual, bacchic, pyrrhic, tragic or choric style. It grew out of Ruby Ginner's association with the chorus of the ancient Greek plays where the movement of the chorus had to echo and support the story. Ruby Ginner researched the ethos and life in Ancient Greece but also wanted the movement that she devised from her research to reflect today's world and linked it, not only with drama and music, but sculpture, painting, literature and philosophy with inspiration also from the natural world. In other words, she felt that dance was part of life itself."

FULL RESULTS

Class A

Class Winner : Morgana Byworth (Dupont Dance Stage School)
Musicality Prize: Ashleigh Killin (Buckhurst Hill & Woodford School)

Class B

Class Winner: Georgia Borne (Totnes School of Dance)
Musicality Prize: Cerise Bedder (Dupont)

Class C

Class Winner: Rowena Cox (Lorna Clark School of Dance)
Musicality Prize: William Lewis (Dupont)

Class D

Class Winner: Charlie Hulme (Totnes )
Musicality Prize: Megan Furneaux (Totnes)

Class E

Class Winner: Shaunagh Stones (Dupont)
Musicality Prize: Rhian Thomas (Kilburn School)

Class F

Class Winner: Rosalind Ford (Stretton School of Dance & Drama)
Musicality Prize: Louisa Foley (Sussex School of Dance)

Class G

Class Winner: Faye Hawkins (Dupont)
Runner-Up Jessie Waterfield (Kilburn)
Musicality Prize: Chelsea Hogg (Dupont)

Special Awards:

Kay Ball Shield (Morning Classes): Emily Kawksby (Kilburn)
Kay Ball Shield (Afternoon Classes): Jessica Benjamin (Dupont)
Junior Boys Trophy: Ricardo Spriggs (Dupont)
Senior Boys Trophy: Liam Bradley (Dupont)
Biddy Pinchard Cup: Kaia Wells (Totnes)
Christine Orange Cup: Amelia Russell (Redhurst School of Dance)

Other pages:

Classical Greek Dance

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