Carmen’s dancers enchant Cape Town
Carmen’s School of Dance from Knysna entered three girls into the Cape Town Eisteddfod from 14 to 17 August, and the girls managed to bring home 11 gold diplomas between the three of them.They began their participation in the competition on the Wednesday, with the preliminary rounds that would also go into Thursday 15 August. The three star dancers who took part were Celyn Godfrey (8), Madison Starkey (9), and Milani Magadla (9), with Celyn and Madison taking part in the Amateur Classical Own Choice Solo, Demi-Character Own Choice Solo, and Open Solo sections, while Milani took part in the Amateur Classical Own Choice Solo and Demi-Character Own Choice Solo sections.
The girls would not only compete in their individual sections however, as Celyn and Milani also entered a Duet while Madison joined them for a Trio dance as well. The three girls needed to earn a gold diploma in the preliminary rounds if they wanted to progress to the final rounds to be danced on Friday and Saturday 16 and 17 August.
They were able to do just that, and won most of the categories they had entered. Celyn won the Own Choice Demi-Character and Open Solo sections, Madison won the Own
Choice Classical, Demi-Character and Open Choice Solo sections, while Milani won the Own Choice Classical Solo section.
The girls not only shone in their individual dances but also managed to excel beyond belief with their group dances.
In the preliminary rounds, the group dances are judged and subsequently placed in senior and junior categories for the finals.
The three stars from Knysna were placed in the 12-and-under age group for the finals, but the daunting task of facing up to older dancers didn’t phase them as they managed to win both the Duet Dance section and Trio Dance section in which they participated.