The West of England Open Championships

Posted on February 18, 2013

This year’s West of England Open Championships were held at the well-known Winter Gardens of Weston-super-Mare. Presented and organised by Avon Amateur Dancers Club, the event was a success with competitors and spectators.

The Amateur Modern Championship was won by Josh Noon and Sara Western (pictured), while Gino Gabrie and Hannah Herbert Parr won the Amateur Latin contest.

The Mary Richardson Senior I Modern Championship was won by Andrew and Sharon Kevan, hailed by the judges as winners “in a class of their own”. Robert Wakefield and Irene Faulkner took second place, with “a calm, confident performance showing lovely musicality”. Third place went to Trevoir and Michelle Daniel Martin, an “elegant couple with a lovely topline”.

Robert Wakefield and Irene Faulkner came top of the Lynette Boyce Over 50s Modern Championship, with praise for their great floor coverage, Robert’s silhouette and Irene’s elegance. David and Pauline Clark took second place with a “classy, stylish performance”. Laurence Pearson and Irene Jolley, who came third, were praised for their musicality.

The event was compèred by Peter Jones, with music by Denis Gascoigne and a scrutineering team of Keith and Maralyn Cattell. The judges’ panel, chaired by Stan Page, consisted of Lynette Boyce, Julie Hargrave, Carol Perry, Richard Rose, Barbara Sanderson, Derrick Squires and Chris Vickers. There was generous sponsorship from Joe and Barbara Sanderson, Brackleys, Bodice and Brackleys and Tony Hunnisett.

The next Avon competition will be the City of Bristol Championships on Sunday, March 3. By popular demand, it will be held in the main ballroom of the Winter Gardens. See www.avondanceclub.org.uk or call 0117 971 0871 for details.

Picture courtesy of Avon Amateur Dance Club.

Zoe Anderson

Zoë was born in Edinburgh, and saw her first dance performances at the Festival there. She is the dance critic of The Independent, and has also written for The Independent on Sunday, The Scotsman and Dancing Times. In 2002, she received her doctorate from the University of York for a thesis on “Nationhood and epic romance: Ariosto, Sidney, Spenser”. She is the author of The Royal Ballet: 75 Years and The Ballet Lover’s Companion.